Unmei Force: Conflicts
by Xovercreator
Summary: The Unmei Force, having defeated Trillion, and saving the Underworld, are now ever the more determined to continue their path, with a new enigmatic stone in their hands. Their next voyage takes them into the world of Sengoku Basara, where they will fight to unite Japan, and seek out the second stone of the hypothesised set. (Set within Sengoku BASARA 3/Samurai Heroes)
1. Prologue

Prologue: The Warring States

* * *

The world is never silent, much less for the country of Japan, where the Sengoku Period has come, bringing about the great flames of conflict.

Armies of yellow and black clashed against each other, as the emblem of the Tokugawa and the emblem of the Toyotomi are the most prominent on the battlefield. The clash of blade onto weapon could be heard on every part of the land, as they duelled among a flat lowland of rock, as the battle was locked in a stalemate between the two forces.

However, on a small mountain not far from the battle of the main forces, the destiny of the battle was about to determined by a single strike.

On the very top, there stood two men, facing each other, as they were both calm and serious, as they knew that they were enemies, and were to fight each other to the death.

The first was a man clad in a red cuirass shaped oddly like a jacket, tied together by a white sash, by the middle of his chest, with his black tunics visible under his armour, as his arms and legs were covered by heavy red gauntlets and black shinguards. His hair was grey from age, and his hair was formed into a mane parted towards the back of his head, with a large bang of hair by the cheek on either side of his head, and his face was that of a hardened warrior, shown by his bulky and large figure, as his red eyes gave a steely gaze that would pierce his opponent, if gazes were like blades.

His opposite was a younger man, who was clad in much less armour, as he bore a yellow jacket, with shoulder-pads that bore the Tokugawa emblem, and under it, was merely a yellow scaled breast-plate that only covered his breast, leaving his neck and abdomen to be seen by all. His attire also consisted of large long haidate in the same yellow colour as his uniform, with red cotton lining around it, and baggy yellow jeans with black boots. His head was covered by the hood of his jacket, as his short spiked black hair was mostly hidden under it, as his eyes of yellow met that of his opponent, and his body, both slim yet stocky with abs, proved he was no mere warrior to stand before the leader of his enemy's army.

"Humanity... There is nothing more powerful than the will of the people united for a cause." The younger man spoke, as his voice was filled with determination and will. "Hideyoshi Toyotomi. If you continue to force your will upon this land..."

He then took off his hood, as his eyes burned with righteous spirit. "I will stop you!" He declared, as he revealed the steel gauntlets that covered his hands. "This land will be joined by the bonds of peace!"

Hideyoshi merely remained silent, as neither of them made a move towards each other, as the air around them became more and more intense, as the winds picked up around them.

As soon as they simultaneously took steps towards each other, clenching their fists for the duel between generals, the ground shook with a ring of dust and earth around them, made by the sheer force of their steps, as they rushed at each other, and their fist clashed...

Near their 'ring', was a fast-approaching swordsman, clad in light steel armour, silver all around his body, as he had purple coat-tails flickering in front of his chest, and his back bore a purple cape that was parted into strands like that of a dandelion, and his leggings were long and sharp, almost as if they were linked to his silver steel boots. His gauntlets were made in a shape that it made his arms look like that of a demon's. His silver eyes radiated a sense of fanatic loyalty, and his silver was styled like a duck-tail. He wielded a large slender sword, with the sheath in his other hand.

He roared, as he did a aerial crescent slash onto the Tokugawa troops approaching him, as they were either killed or dreadfully cut apart by the blow.

"Die, in the name of Lord Hideyoshi." He spoke in a grave tone.

When he heard thunder echo from the edges of where Hideyoshi and the Tokugawa general clashed, he turned and gasped.

"Lord Hideyoshi!?" He roared, before he then growled, as he dashed towards the confrontation as fast as could.

When he came up to the location, he saw that the only one standing was his nemesis, not his lord, who was laid on the ground, defeated and most likely slain.

The loyal warrior was shocked by the state of matters, as he breathed heavily, before then letting out a cry of rage, before he charged at the yellow pugilist, with his blade drawn.

Just before he could reach him, the young fighter immediately jumped, as he landed onto a large man covered in heavy and bulky armour that resembled that of a war machine, as he was flying from the thrusters on his back, leaving behind a trail of smoke, as the flying duo retreated from the battlefield.

He grit his teeth in sheer hatred at the escape of his lord's killer, before then turning to his lord, as he fell on his knees, before he then grabbed Hideyoshi onto his shoulder, as he gave a venomous gaze at the lingering trail of smoke.

"Ieyasu..." He hissed with rage, before taking a strained breath. "I will... KILL YOU!"

He roared the last words into the sky, as the rain fell from the skies from the black clouds of the battlefield, like the gods weeping for the loss of a great warrior.

In the blue skies far from the battle, Ieyasu merely remained still, with his arms crossed, standing above the mechanised warrior that carried him out of danger.

"Through the bonds we make between warriors." Ieyasu spoke in a solemn tone. "We will know peace again, no matter the cost."

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in a unknown aerial fortress, hidden in the space between worlds..._

Among the purple void, there lied a massive aerial fortress, fashioned to the shape of a space-made carrier, with the usual complement of a docked bridge, various pulsing engines on the tail, and armed to the teeth with both long-range and short-range defences against all kinds of threats, except it had a few specific features, such as bearing a white and red colour scheme around its nose, as it formed the religious symbol of the yin-yang from the two colours, and there was an aura around the ship that made it seem more than just mere technology.

Inside the ship, right within the main meeting room of the ship, where a circular table, equipped with enough seats for a entire council and audience to sit on, and a hologram projector for use in presentations, the members of the Unmei Force filed themselves in, plus an new addition in Elma, who was decked in her usual clothes, as she seems to be no longer limited by the medical stand that was feeding her medicine through the needle, now replaced by a large staff with a head forged by two snakes intertwining their entire length against each other.

The members all took their seats, as they were all unmasked, due to the fact that they were in personal space, and in a place far from the typical observer's eye, nigh all-seeing or not, as Richard (Pangu) took the frontal seat, reserved for the current leader of the meeting.

"Considering the matters, we have good news and bad news." Richard opened up the discussion. "All in favour of hearing the good news first, so that the bad news won't cause some people to faint? Raise your hands, or voice your agreement if so."

All but Gunther(Heimdall), Reimu (Mammon/Yoku), Meiling(Ryu-Onna) and Reisen(Inaba) raised their hands.

"I see, it's the usual lot." Richard replied, with a smile. "Good thing there's always some opposition to my agreements, or I really would think I'd done something wrong. Still, I'm surprised you agreed this time, Velouria. Something wrong?"

"I rather just look to the bright side for once. I'm sick of all of this bad news coming over and over. It reminds me every time of what could go wrong everytime." Velouria (Fenrir) huffed.

"Point taken." Richard answered back with a nod. "Alright, good news as promised. It seems that we have increased our effective combat power, after that skirmish against Trillion. It's both good and bad in a sense, since she's there to remind us of where the cut-off point of being strong enough or too weak is. Good thing the training we have done has vaulted us over that point for now. Remember, new reality, new limits. Don't go trying to be a hero, because we don't know who the hell is here. Maybe some omnipotent god who is extremely territorial? A multiversal war raging through this entire place? Who knows? Just be careful about what you do, and don't hesitate to contribute towards each other's efforts, if it will help make ending this voyage faster. What's more, we have a new member, Elma, and we also gained a lot of new allies in the Underworld. It's a good start, since we got at least a few people behind our backs for now."

Marisa (Aeon) came over to Elma, and roughened her hair a little with a hand, as she had a cheeky smile on her face. "Don't you worry, ze." She said. "Richard's a really good guy when you get to know him. He might be all mighty and powerful, but even he needs the help of his friends. So do your best, and we'll make sure that we get through this all together."

"T-Thank you, Marisa." Elma smiled. "I'm glad you're willing to care for me on behalf of Dear Brother."

"Don't worry, he's just a summon away." Richard added with a assuring smile. "And I'll make sure that we work together to give anyone who tries to give you a hard time hell. After all, I did promise that back then."

Elma nodded at that, as Antonio(Hermes) then stood up to interrupt.

"Right, and that's the good thing done." The hedgehog replied. "What's the bad stuff? I hope it's not going to affect us badly."

Richard then sighed at that, as his smile dropped. "If you consider being annoyed a bad enough effect to qualify, then I hate to break that hope." Richard responded.

He then activated the machine, as it revealed the blue crystal that they have picked up, which was a round gem with a white insignia of a monster claw.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now on a MacGuffin hunt. The bad news is that this may lead to some outcomes we really do not want. Unwanted attention, a lot of questionable stuff... But as much as I hate to believe it, it's our only choice here." Richard explained the bad part of his reports. "And worse... Unlike most damn heroes, we don't have a hidden compass that will guide us to them. Only luck here is to roam the worlds, and hope we find something significant that would hint towards the involvement of one of these things."

"What!? Seriously!?" Hermes cried out, as he slumped back down into his chair. "Of all the damn things we have to do, it's a wild goose chase!?"

"Unfortunately so. When I had the best of my kappa researchers and scientists on the case, the lab almost blew to pieces when they tried to merely TEST the thing for a wavelength for a second." Richard accepted the fact. "I don't think these 'stones' like being prodded and tested, and they only have synergy with living beings. Problem is, we can't seem to tap into it, while Trillion could, which caused her to be stronger than I anticipated."

"This does raise a few questions..." Sanae (Jirachi) added. "It's like to us, they're the usual 'collect x and unlock the secrets of the universe' stuff, and to the baddies, they're literally power cells that make them super. I have a feeling that they're more sinister than they are supposed to be..."

"I cannot deny or confirm that kind of fact." Richard answered back, as he shook his head. "I do not have any clue as to what those things could do, when they are brought together, whether it summons a eldritch horror, or help us rid ourselves of the reality glitches in our home reality, but it's the only hope we have, and I will take it, no matter what."

"Then if we are without any way to determine our path to continue, then what will we do?" Fox (Jackal) asked. "Sitting on our bottoms here is not an option."

"Indeed it's not. That's why I have already determined the next destination for us." Richard replied.

The stone hologram changed into a screened live-feed of the battle on the plains, as they watched the battle.

"If you know where we are going, Sanae, amuse us with what you know." Richard told Sanae.

"This world... There's no mistaking it... It's the Sengoku Basara universe." Sanae replied. "That kind of battle, and the forces involved, it's definitely on the dot. And I could barely see where the generals are. If I'm right..."

"Hold on a moment. What exactly is the 'Sengoku Basara' universe?" Meiling (Ryu-Onna) interjected. "By the looks of it, it bears much similarity to that world where we lived through an alternate take of the Three Kingdoms Era."

"Ah, yes. Meiling." Sanae replied, before she then recalled her knowledge about the world. "If I remember from the many times I played the games set within it, it should be based off the Japanese Sengoku Period, during that time. History is a bit elastic there, as it's kind of 'anything happens, anything goes' around the range of an entire history. Anyone could become the uniting shogun of this place, so long as they have the power and will to influence it, and so realistic history is not really strong here, and events could go the other way in contrast of the history we know. And I'm certain that battlefield is the time where Ieyasu and Hideyoshi clashed against each other with their armies. Hideyoshi should be losing right now, which would trigger the next chapter of this historical timeline, which I personally dub the Rise of Two Powers, where Mitsunari Ishida and Ieyasu Tokugawa begin to conquer lands in order to amass their armies for the inevitable decisive battle in the fields of Sekigahara."

"It's exactly as Sanae said." Richard agreed. "Which means that I will have to make a drastic rule that I must place in effect immediately. From now on, expeditions will be done only with specific members, that will fit in the world as perfectly as possible to avoid suspicion, and contain skill-sets and traits that will be proven most effective and useful in the world."

"So basically, we're sortieing according to the situations that we encounter." Ares (Link) pondered. "I guess that would be suitable at times, but it would come with problems... Who's going?"

"As for this world? Only Me, Gus, Sanae and Reimu." Richard bluntly answered the question.

As soon as Richard finished his answer, several of the members immediately objected in utter outrage, as they were not happy with such a decision.

"You can't be serious! Have you abandoned your own principle that we should stay united together as a group!?" Ares cried out. "What you're doing could cause problems worse than what we had with Trillion!"

"Besides, this isn't the time to be picking favourites, Richard! At least take me with you, so that I can use my speed to help you guys out in a sticky situation!" Antonio (Hermes) added.

"Come on, Richard, ze." Marisa complained. "You can't seriously be leaving all of us here with nothing much else to do. I rather be in the Underworld training, if you're going to place us in such a circumstance! We can't do much here, with all the annoying rules and restrictions you placed on us. Sure, we'll pass the time, but you can't always do it like that!"

"I refuse to be left behind here, when there are so many precious treasures down there!" Velouria cried out. "You can't be so cruel to leave me without any of their treasures, when I could barely scrape up one from the Underworld! You know that I can't bear to let treasure be mishandled for a long time in the hands of some savage or uncouth warrior!"

"So I see. Settle down all of you, and take a deep breath to calm down." Richard answered back in a peaceful tone.

However, his words had no effect on them, as they continued to bicker and argue about the matter, annoying Richard further, until he couldn't take it anymore, and he slammed his fists down, and gave a enraged glare at them.

"I said, SETTLE DOWN! NOW!" Richard roared, as he was unaware of his release of mental pressure onto them, as they felt the presence, and immediately quieted down, having realised that they are on Richard's nerves, and is close to blowing his top in rage.

After a moment of silence, Richard then took a deep breath, as he placed a hand on his head, rubbing it to keep himself calm and collected as a leader.

"Alright. I get it. You four are not happy with what I have to say, and maybe the rest of you do object to my statement, except you aren't as outraged as the ones who complained. I understand that." Richard replied. "I did promise that I would place your needs and opinions first, as I will treat my friends and allies with utmost respect, care and kindness, or any combination of any of them. But I ask return that you consider that I have more solid and beneficial reasons to do so."

"Then tell us then. Why would you only allow such a small group to enter?" Fox gestured for his leader to continue.

"Like I said, although I know we barely scraped by Trillion with all we have done. But however, do know that our first priority is trying not to have our identities exposed, as it will cause long-terms problems that will linger by us. In order to counter this, we will have to swap out teammates, and only use them multiple times, if the situation and world deem it necessary. Even as leader, I will abide the rule myself, taking a mere support role of providing important information and data about what our objectives and our mission parameters will be." Richard expressed his reasons with clear hand gestures. "As for why only us four? I and Sanae are the only people here who are the ones who know most of the fandoms that we travel to, due to our 'interest' in it. And thus, we would know the world there almost like the back of our hand, persons of interest, places, events and all else. Reimu herself is a suitable choice, because she's a shrine maiden, and her magic capabilities would be suitable when reliable magic in battle and other important priorities is a boon that only a fool would deny, and don't forget, she's one of the best fighters in Gensokyo, when it comes to fists or magic. Gus is with me, as second-in-command, making him a suitable replacement leader, should anything happen to me, that would affect my capabilities to lead our team through the world. As for you, Velouria, if it will bring you some hope, I can promise that I'll find a suitable treasure for your likings, so that you won't have to cause trouble with your hoarding habits."

Most of the opposing members considered his words, as Velouria didn't even do that, as she nodded, and sat down quickly, with a satisfied expression like a dog being praised for its efforts.

"And in order to maintain anonymity, I will have to ask that you have to take up your new identities for the moment." Richard added. "You're fine to act as your usual selves, as long as you don't deviate from your role. Myself, however... Don't be surprised if I'm a little different."

"Seriously? You're acting at a time like this?" Reisen asked.

"Only choice I have. As leader, everything can be traced back to me, and I can be traced to everything the organisation contains and covers." Richard replied. "If my identity is found, it won't be long that you guys will be traced along with me. Now... about those alternate identities..."

* * *

 _In the fields near the Saica lands..._

Ieyasu Tokugawa was watching the skies above, as the men behind him were preparing themselves for battle, arming themselves with weapon and armour.

"Tell me, are the men ready for action?" Ieyasu asked one of his generals, who was wearing a helmet with a massive golden sun symbol on top, and a mask over his face.

"Yes. We await your command, my Lord." The general replied with a composed tone.

"Very good. We are going to ally ourselves with the Saica faction." Ieyasu declared. "Those who wage war at their side know only victory..."

"I see, my lord. They say that the Saica Faction never align with any, except warriors of the greatest prowess." The general responded to his lord's words.

"True. Our task will not be a simple one. That is why I summoned you, Tadakatsu!" Ieyasu called out for his personal bodyguard.

The very same armoured robotic man that carried Ieyasu out approached him, before letting off a rush of air from his internal pistons.

"I'm at your service!" The general replied, before bowing and leaving the two of them.

"Our paths has been a rocky one." Ieyasu looked out to the fields, as he clenched a fist in determination. "Yet we cross the miles unbroken. Never will we know defeat. I swear it! Mitsunari... Surely I'm not alone in feeling so emboldened."

A messenger then approached Ieyasu, as he knelt to the ground.

"My Lord! There are men approaching our camp!" He announced. "They have stated that they have come with business to ally with you, my liege! They state that they are not of any faction, but are prominent warriors and maidens for battle!"

Ieyasu seemed surprised that he would gain allies so suddenly, before he could make his name gaining the allegiance of the Saica faction, and so the arrival of new warriors struck him odd.

"Let them come. I welcome all those who would pledge their service to helping me bring the country together once more, and allow there to be long peace." Ieyasu ordered him.

The messenger acknowledged the order with a nod, before sprinting off, before coming back with the current Unmei Force team, who have changed their attire greatly, to fit the era they were in.

Richard was clad in a swordsman's robe, with red and black shoulder-guards, as well as having his black hair dyed brown, as it was stroked to the right into a slight curl, as he wore the standard light metal haidate and suneate, except they were partially leather to allow him more agility in battle, and his feet were only covered by geta. His back is armed with the twin swords that he used.

Gus was forced into a long robed tunic, with short sleeves, as his lower arms were covered by silver gauntlets, with flame symbols over his garb, and his suneate the only visible armour on his legs, along with leather brown warrior shoes. On his back was his personal great-sword.

Reimu and Sanae were dressed in shrine-maiden garbs, except they both had unique features to their clothes. Reimu was dressed with a red bow on the front of her hakama, and the lining of her clothes were lined with various small yin-yang symbols, ranging from red-and-white to the standard white-and-black versions, and she had no fabric belt to keep her clothes together, as they fluttered lightly in the wind. Sanae's was a more green clothing, as her robe was decorated with both snakes and frogs, in a deep-green colour to show that they were of the sacred nature, and she had a long skirt that had the symbol of a tall and mighty mountain on one side of it. Both of the girls were decked in their own weapons.

"So you are Ieyasu Tokugawa." Richard spoke in a bold tone. "Perhaps the things that they say about you, do hold a weight of truth. A man with the face of a kind saviour, and the heart of a man who values the bonds above all else."

"Who are you, brave warrior?" Ieyasu Tokugawa asked.

"I?" Richard pointed at himself, before sheathing the golden sword in his right hand. "I am Miyamoto Musashi. Great Swordsman below Heaven, and the Undefeated Dueller, and the strongest pupil of the Yoshioka-ryu school."

The name seems to shock most of the troops around him, as the men around him tensed up, as some dropped their weapon.

"M-Miyamoto Musashi!?" One of the soldiers blubbered. "The greatest swordsman, is coming for our services?"

"I see. I do know your name from my men." Ieyasu responded to 'Musashi'. "What has brought you here into my services? I have heard rumours you served the Toyotomi in the wars."

"Mere rumours." Richard stated with a frown. "The Toyotomi lack any sense of honour and justice. They terrorise the common people, and those who would oppose them. A swordsman, who would follow the way of the honoured, and treat his opponents as enemies that deserve respect and recognition, like me, would never work with such savages."

"So that is your way then." Ieyasu replied. "Then I see we have a thing in common, to fight for the oppressed and the common people. I will seek to let all hold hands, and fight no more in the unification of the lands."

He then turned to Gus, and the two shrine maidens.

"And may I ask your names?" Ieyasu questioned them.

"Munemori Yaygu, my lord." Gus answered back. "I have come to serve you, for I believe that you have the most right to conquer the land, and bring peace to the people of Japan."

"Akashi Hakurei." Reimu replied, as she bowed her head. "I have come as Musashi's personal shrine maiden. As his spiritual guardian, I only remain with you, to ensure that his legacy does not end on the battlefield."

"Rikiya Moriya!" Sanae cried out, as she was at the edge of fan-girling at the sight of Ieyasu. "I'm a shrine maiden like Akashi, and I want to be with you, because I believe that you deserve to unite Japan, with your great heart and mind!"

The soldiers sweat-dropped at Sanae's bland reason, but Ieyasu seems to be satisfied with their reasons of joining his armies.

"Very well. Then I shall welcome you into the Tokugawa army, where you will be treated as a part of our large family of bonds." Ieyasu declared with a smile.

"I see then. But I have one more thing to ask of you." Richard said, as he raised his sword, pointing it at Ieyasu, before adopting a more serious and solemn tone. "Know my words to be not a threat, but a promise I will keep. If I find that you have proven that you are not worthy of my services, I will just leave with Munemori. That is only a small punishment you will have. But if I find out that you have betrayed your values so willingly, the values of friendship, honour and mercy, know that I will strike you down, no matter how many men are between me and you, for it will be Heaven's will that your head will be offered to the gods above Heaven, in order to sate their desire to avenge such a great betrayal. Knowing this, do you swear on your heart and soul that you will never turn on your values, Tokugawa? You may reject me, and spare yourself the trouble, but I will kill you, if you merely only speak of your ideals, and not follow upon them."

Tadakatsu immediately noticed the threat that Richard was giving off, as he was about to lift his massive drill-spear hybrid to attack him, only to be stopped by Ieyasu, who raised his hand to forbid such an action.

"I see you are very determined by your words." Ieyasu answered back with great spirit, as much as to counter the cold aura Richard was giving off with his words. "Very well, I shall swear it on the gods, that I shall never stray from the path of the just. I would sooner die a dishonoured death, than let myself do the same to anyone else!"

There was silence, before Richard then smiled boldly at the answer he was given, as he knelt with his left fist clenched over by his right hand, as the others followed after him.

"Then, we shall serve you with all of our might. And you will be victorious indeed, for you have the greatest swords of the land, and the power of the twin shrine-maidens by your side to help you." Richard declared. "May your rule and conquest be fulfilled by the will of the gods."

The Tokugawa men cheered, as they seemed to have their morale boosted by the coming of 'Musashi Miyamoto' and more prominent warriors to join their cause, as Ieyasu smiled.

"Truly, the fates smile upon me." Ieyasu declared, as he thanked the heavens for the miracle that he has just received.

* * *

 **A/N: A long-needed disclaimer for the story. This story has been inspired by the Dimensional Heroes, and its branching stories, Spirit Force, Heroes Coalition, Brave Adventurers and others, by jexithehunter, Hope the Victor, Ace Neptune and David Ishihara. The Unmei Force is set within the canon universe, starting a few weeks after the merging of the universes, as hinted in Dimensional Heroes: Sun and Moon.**


	2. Chapter 1: Saica

Chapter 1: Challenging the Saica

* * *

As the men of Tokugawa marched into the Saica stronghold, within the region of Wakayama, led by Ieyasu, Richard, Reimu, Sanae and Gus, as they were in front of the forces.

To their surprise, the gateway into the fortress was open, as the wooden doors were left fully open. as the green flags with the orange crow symbol of the Yatagarasu, symbolised that the gate was truly one of the Saica's.

"Hm... I suspect a trap, Lord Ieyasu." Gus stated. "Something tells me that the Saica won't easily ally with us."

"Indeed, Yaygu." Richard answered. "The Saica are known to be proud mercenaries. To gain their allegiance would mean proving your own will and might to conquer the country. And so, they will test us themselves."

"Indeed, you have a sharp eye." A clear and mature female voice rang out.

When the men looked up, they were surprised by the sight of a ginger-haired lady, her hair parted evenly on either side in a standard western-style hairstyle, as her shoulders and elbows were covered by black leather cuffs, and her chest only bore a onyx chest-armour. She also wore brown jeans, that were interconnected with oak-brown boots, and on her right leg, was a ring of holsters, each with their own flintlock holstered in them.

"I am Magoichi Saica." She declared with a stern tone. "Leader of the Saica Mercenaries. You will hear the bell toll for the proud Saica Faction, and know the superior strength we possess!"

She then immediately jumped, as her superhuman agility allowed her to jump rapidly from ledge to ledge, as she eyed the advancing Tokugawa officers.

"Men, charge!" She ordered her men.

"Yes, Lady Saica!" The Saica men responded to her call-to-arms, as they charged at the officers.

The officers each readied their weapons, as Richard charged forward to deal with the first wave, as he dashed forward, and used his opening strike to take down two of the soldiers with waist-cuts.

"Allow me, Lord Ieyasu." Richard declared. "I will prove to you that you have made a wise decision in taking me in your forces."

"Then do so, Musashi. I am counting on you." Ieyasu replied.

As the riflemen behind the foot-soldiers fired at Richard, the young twin-blades wielder immediately used his left hand's katana to block most of the bullets coming, as he dodged accordingly for the rest, as he then gripped both blades tightly, as he did several wave-slashes forward, as the footsoldiers he has defeated and struck were knocked forward, until he was in range for his last strike for the riflemen, which he did with great force, that left wave-cut marks in front of him, as the first wave of Saica soldiers was destroyed.

When he noticed that one of the larger men, who was wielding a steel mini-gun, complete with a steel bullet-canister strapped to his back, he immediately moved in front of him, as the machine-gunner was about to charge up his gun to unleash hellish fire-power.

Richard then threw his right short-sword up, before then sheathing his left katana on his left side, as it began to glow with black and purple energy, before then doing a iai quick-draw, that cut the mini-gun and the chest armour of the heavy soldier in half, before he then caught the golden short-sword mid-flight and did a downwards strike that defeated the soldier completely.

As Richard was dealing with the soldier, Ieyasu and the others continued forward, until they were met by the sight of a camp commander standing on a pedestral, instructing the men around him with orders and tactics.

Gus immediately charged after him, as the commander equipped his long halberd, as he braced himself for battle. Gus then immediately slashed at him quickly, as the commander could only block the first few blows, before the strikes took the toll on him, as he was staggered by the blows, until the next strike floored him to the ground.

When he managed to get onto his knees, he noticed that Gus was already lifting his great-sword to finish the commander off.

"Wait-" He only managed to saw, before the blunt end of the blade smashed into him, knocking him out in a burst of golden light, that pushed out to knock the Saica forces flying.

"A chance! Men, seize this camp!" Ieyasu noted the capture of the camp.

"Understood! Men, guard this camp with your lives, for it is the property of the benevolent Lord Ieyasu!" One of the commanders cried out, as he immediately took the enemy commander's place on the camp pedestal, signifying its full capture.

Magoichi, who was watching this from the next gate over, smiled at the performance of the warriors, as Ieyasu looked at her.

"It's been too long, Magoichi. I have come in the hopes that our people may fight as one." Ieyasu told her, in a tone that is used for a friend or close companion.

"You are wise to wish it so, Ieyasu." Magoichi replied. "But am I wise to grant it? We stand only with the finest. And you should look under your feet, lest your careless movements catch you trouble."

As soon as Magoichi finished speaking, a Tokugawa squad was trapped by a wooden spring cage, as it was triggered by one of its members stepping on a wooden pressure plate with a red light in the middle of it.

"What is this!? Help us!" The helpless soldier cried for assistance.

"Hold on! I will free you immediately!" Ieyasu cried, as he turned away from Magoichi, who merely continued her way into the fortress.

He then used the metal gauntlets on his hands, as he smashed the cage apart with great big blows from his armed hands, as he used various boxing attacks, like straights, hooks and uppercuts to bring the cage apart.

"Thank you, my lord! We are grateful for your rescue!" The soldier thanked their kind lord.

"There is no need for apologies, so long as you are unharmed." Ieyasu assured his men. "Men, we continue our march! Take caution where you tread!"

The army cried out their agreement, as Richard and the others continued their way in response. In the next area, they were met by the sight of wooden poles tied by a thin trip-wire.

"It seems that the Saica are more clever than we thought." Richard spoke. "Akashi, do please give the men behind us a way to pass?"

"As you wish." She replied, before she then drawed some of her own amulets, as she threw them at the trip-wires, as they were triggered, causing rains of spears to rain where the wires were triggered, which would have skewered any men, and they did for some of the Saica, who were unable to realise their own trap being used against them.

"It seems that what comes around, goes around." Sanae chuckled at the scene, before they were attacked by the enraged men, who were not happy about their own tricks backfiring.

The small group made their way forward, as they took down the enemies in concise teamwork, as Gus used his blade to fire off flame strikes that would scorch the enemy into unconsciousness, and the area's camp was taken courtesy by Sanae summoning a wind under the commander's feet, to send him flying into the sky screaming, as he was going to be in for a rough landing outside of the stronghold.

As Ieyasu's men occupied the camp, Reimu then noticed that there was a hidden passageway, covered by several tall bushes, as the wind caused them to flutter backwards against the 'cliff wall', as she came closer, and parted the bushes, to confirm her find.

"Rikiya, I ask for your assistance." She told her partner, as the green-haired girl followed after Reimu, as she was surprised.

"This is... the way to their hidden base!" Sanae spoke with sparkles in her eyes, before smiling evilly. "I have a little plan in mind."

Reimu raises a eyebrow, at the diabolical expression Sanae was giving, as they passed through the narrow passage, where they find themselves in a hidden area, where there was a hidden base on the ledge above them, as some Saica soldiers were loitering around the lower ground.

She immediately threw off several of her trademark banishing needles, as they struck the necks and heads of the soldiers, conking them out for a long time, as they moved to the alcove.

"None of the guys will be able to get up here, and neither would any normal person." Sanae said, before she raised her staff. "But..."

She then swiped her staff, casting a small but strong tornado, large enough for them to enter, and allow them to reach the top without any problems.

"For us magical shrine-maidens, it's as easy as a snap of a finger!" Sanae smirked.

They immediately rode onto the tornado, as they flew up, before landing in front of a shocked Saica raiding party, as the squad leader was scared out of his wits.

"What!? How on earth did they discover our secret camp...!?" One of the soldiers cried out in fear.

"Trying to sneak up onto us?" Reimu grinned evilly, as she placed her gohei down, and cracked her knuckles menacingly. "You got some balls trying such a sneaky trick on someone who can see more than the typical eye."

"It's just two shrine-maidens! We can take them on easily!" Another soldier cried out, as it rallied his men to fight back.

"Oh, how wrong you are to assume that..." Sanae chuckled, as she spun her staff, as it glowed and sparked with magic.

Meanwhile, as the other officers were advancing through the stronghold, they were being assaulted from above by firecrackers thrown by Saica men from the towers above.

"They attack with many styles, yet every blow connects. Truly, I would hope to never face the Saica Faction in battle!" Ieyasu noted, as he was evading them swiftly with sidesteps and dashes.

Richard immediately noticed that the left side was not being covered by the fire-crackers, but was laced with a series of trip-wires. In order to counter this, he immediately broke into a sprint, as he triggered them one after the other, not stopping to even attack the Saica men on the path, as they were smashed down by the following falling spears.

When he managed to reach the area's camp, he noticed that Gus and Ieyasu were still struggling to advance with the rain of fire flying down on you, as the Tokugawa squad leaders were being burnt badly by the explosions.

Without wasting any time, he immediately cut down the camp commander, as the resulting explosion of light expelled any enemy influence out of the area, as the towers stopped pelting the allied forces with firecrackers.

Magoichi, who was standing by the opposite gate, spoke to Richard. "You live for the fight... We have that in common, young warrior." Magoichi stated. "I can see that burning spirit reflected in your blades and your eyes. You crave a battle that will be etched in the legends."

"Perhaps." Richard answered back, glaring at Magoichi. "So far, your cleverness has proven moot against us, even turned against you. What will do now, Saica? Is the power of the Saica merely in their arms and traps?"

Magoichi was slightly infuriated by his taunt, before then returning back to her cold mask.

"You will see for yourself our power, when we finally meet." Magoichi replied, before jumping across the ledges, deeper into the stronghold, and closer to the confrontation with her, as she seemed to wonder, where has the two shrine maidens that she has seen in their first encounter went.

 _Perhaps they have been ordered to retreat under the orders of Ieyasu._ Magoichi thought, as she let off a hint of a smile. _I might actually find some value in his benevolence._

Ieyasu and Gus manage to catch up to Richard, as the squad leaders of the Tokugawa were not far behind, although slightly diminished by what has happened before.

As they advanced on, they were faced by a trio of machine-gunners, as their camp-commander was cheering them, as their vulcans were already ready to fire upon the Tokugawa, letting off a belting blast of bullets at them.

"Dodge!" Gus cried, as the men immediately evaded the attack, as they blocked against the relentless barrage of bullets, waiting for the machine-gunners to reload, and take them down.

Fortunately for them, they were instead met by a blast of golden light, sweeping the machine-gunners to them, as the three of them immediately each took down one of the machine-gunners in the trio.

"It seems that someone has taken the base for us. Who?" Ieyasu asked.

His question was answered, as they saw that Reimu and Sanae was smiling, as they were met by the sight of the enemy camp commander lying on the ground, with a massive steaming bump on his head, certainly from one of Reimu's blows.

"Surprise! Didn't think that we shrine maidens can think on our heads?" Sanae said. "Not so much 'damsel-in-distress' and 'support-role' now, huh?"

The Tokugawa soldiers were shocked by seeing two shrine maidens out-do them in the battlefield, as some fell on their knees, clutching their heads in despair, trying to deny that this was reality.

Ieyasu, however, was actually impressed by the girls' performances.

"I see that you are more than mere shrine-maidens." Ieyasu complimented them. "The only thing I could say of you, is that you are more akin of the very earthly avatar of goddesses."

Reimu let off a 'Damn right!', as she flexed her arm to prove her point, as Magoichi was surprised for once.

"It seems that I have underestimated Ieyasu's retinue of officers. To have eyes so keen among their forces, it seems that I am in a struggling situation." Magoichi replied. "Then I will see for myself whether they are as strong as they are sharp-eyed."

She then landed on the ground, as she immediately ran back to her main camp, in the centre of the stronghold.

"My lord, would you permit me to make a... detour?" Richard requested from Ieyasu. "I have a way to induce a pincer-attack onto Magoichi. But I will need you to trust me, and allow me to take Munemori with me, and some of your men."

"It seems that your friends have done well to exceed expectations." Ieyasu replied, before he then nodded. "Do as you need to. I trust you completely, for I know you will not fail me."

"Thank you. Follow me, Munemori and men." Richard thanked his liege. "I ask that you continue your attack, my lord. You will know when we will return behind your enemy in time."

He then immediately dashed around the long curved passage that was near the gate into the area, as he ascended in a clockwise turn, before arriving at a broken bridge. The two young warriors immediately traversed the bridge with little problems, but the generic men behind them had more problems, as some of them were unable to make their way across.

On the small ledge that was connected to the other side of the ancient bridge, was a large mounted ballista, with a large bowl connected to its strings.

"It seems that we have found a strange but effective transport method." Gus noted. "Who knows where it might take us. I think it might help us across."

"Wait... T-that thing!? So you're planning on flying on that thing!?" A soldier asked in a fearful tone and a pale face.

"Don't be such a crybaby. A little flight won't break your bones that easily!" Richard scolded the soldiers and all others with the same fears, before gesturing for one of the soldiers to operate the ballista. "One of you will stay and operate the ballista to transport us across. After that, I order you to return to Ieyasu's side and assist him. Even a single man like you has great worth in his army, so do not disappoint him."

"Y-yessir!" The chosen soldier said, as he immediately winded the ballista, until he fired it, causing Richard to fly across the skies.

"WAHOO!" He cheerfully cried, as he flew across the battlefield.

Gus, watching Richard be thrown by the ballista, merely sighs at his friend's recklessness, before taking his turn on the ballista, as he gritted his teeth mid-flight. The other men weren't as iron-willed like Gus or brave like Richard, as most of them were screaming bloody murder when they flew, and some fainted in the air.

Nonetheless, most of the detachment were alive and awake, when they landed right near the camp pedestral of the Saica main camp, as Magoichi was still unaware, as she was loading her many flintlocks with bullets.

"Hmhmhm... It looks like that our dear lady will be caught off-guard for once." Richard giggled with a giddy tone.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be honourable, and face your opponent fairly?" A soldier asked, suspecting Richard.

"Tch, like there's time for any honour in battle." Richard dismissed his words. "Besides, I'm doing this to threaten her into submitting with her forces into allying with us, once she realises that she has been outsmarted for once in her life, despite her clever plans. So I'm not exactly being dishonourable, since I'm giving her a fair chance to fight or surrender regardless. It's just to give her a little scare, don't you know? And this is war, so no time to think like a warrior, but like a smart officer, even though I'm not the smartest guy in your army."

He then grumbled, before pointing at the unsuspecting camp that laid before them. "Just take the DAMN camp, will you?" Richard shouted at them with annoyance in his voice. "Ieyasu did not take you in for you to laze under his command, or currently, my own! Get to work!"

The soldiers were frightened by the sudden change of tone from Richard, as they immediately overwhelmed the camp commander, without Richard and Gus having to move a single finger to take it out.

"Good, I guess we're ready for the surprise attack." Gus noted. "Are you sure it will work? She doesn't look like she's got any intention of surrendering suddenly."

"Pft, of course not, dear Munemori!" Richard replied with a casual tone. "But it will please me to see this young crow's feathers be ruffled a little from a little planning of our own."

As Ieyasu came in, Magoichi immediately took out one of her flintlocks, as she pointed at Ieyasu, as she walked to the group still with him.

"What is it that you fear the most?" Magoichi asked, as she fired off a shot from her flintlock, as it hit the cliffside near them, frightening some of the Tokugaw soldiers, as she immediately threw her gun away, and took up another from her chamber-like holsters, after spinning them like one would do with a revolver to load another shot into the firing chamber. "Your own death, or the shame of defeat?"

She fired off another shot, as it actually hit someone, flooring one of the Tokugawa squad leaders to the ground, with his face and life being barely saved by the masked helmet he was wearing.

"Either way..." She declared, as she threw the gun away, spinning the holsters again, and gripping the handle of one of the flintlocks, before she pulled it out, spinning it by her index finger. "Know that there is nothing we fear."

She then pointed the gun at Ieyasu. "Nothing at all! We are the Saica Faction! Prepare to face us if you dare!" She roared with bravado.

 _Magoichi Saica ~ Guns Blazing_

Before she could fire off the shot, she was interrupted by the sound of Richard whistling, as she turned around, to see her main camp taken over by Tokugawa forces, and Richard bearing a sly grin on his face.

"Surprised, Magoichi Saica?" Richard asked in a snarky tone, as he spun his katana in his left hand. "It seems that you have been outwitted, as your flank has been taken by us. Now you face a pincer attack."

He then stopped, and raised his katana, as his smile dropped.

"Tell me this, Saica." He told her in a determined tone. "Do you have what it takes to defeat us, when we are both behind and in front of you? Do you dare gamble your life against us?"

Magoichi only seethed, as she is scorned heavily by being forced into a tight situation of her own.

"Luckily for you." Richard told her, as he walked towards her, as the woman kept his eyes on him. "I am not one to force such dishonourable odds against my opponent, even if they are used against me, by others. I have slaughtered a army that laid in wait for me, and took the head of the person who ordered such a thing. No, I will fight you myself. Prepare yourself, for you face the great master of the twin-swords!"

 _Musashi Miyamoto ~ Legendary Swordsman Turned Officer_

"Then let us begin." Magoichi stoically replied, as she raised her flintlock, to shoot Richard. "But remember this: Weakness will only earn you our emnity."

As Magoichi fired at him, Richard dashed forward, dodging the bullets at the same time. "Then I assure you, you will see first-hand how there is a blade that can triumph over your guns. For behind that blade, is skill unimaginable." He responded back with determination.

Magoichi scoffed at his statement, as she backed away, throwing off a series of firecrackers to burn Richard, only to have the ones aimed at him, be cut by the use of his short-sword on the other hand.

"Tell me, Ieyasu. An alliance is but a means to the end." She spoke, as she kept her eyes on the duel with Richard, as his blades barely were able to harm her, as they were mostly used to deflect her bullets away from his body. "What do you seek? The glory of conquest?"

"Glory? Not a bit. I wish to bring peace to the lands... and am in need of your expertise to do so." Ieyasu answered the question.

"Spare me your sugared tongue." Magoichi rebuked him, as she fired off a series of shots that Richard was able to deflect, as he advanced to her, only for her to dodge back, and throw some firecrackers, which hit him this time, unlike the previous attempt, as he was lightly burned by the attack. "Do you, or your men, hold the skills to bring that dream to life?"

"I believe I do. No...!" Ieyasu replied back, before he clenched his fist, and taking a more confident tone. "I am certain of it! My friends and their bonds will prove triumphant in the end!"

"Then I shall see if you will keep your word!" Magoichi cried, as she immediately gathered energy to herself, as she threw up an entire arsenal of ranged weapons into the air, initiating her ultimate attack, as Richard immediately was surprised by the use of it, and the others, sensing that there was something dangerous coming on, immediately put their guard up, or took cover to avoid anything that would come.

Richard immediately placed his blades in a X-formation, as she immediately caught twin shotguns, as the spray of pellets were centered enough that all of them hit his blades, as he was pushed back by the cumulative force of the metal buckshots, before she then threw them off, swapping for some sub-machine guns, as she spun around, firing bullets in a blossom of death, as she turned to her side, firing off more bullets towards Richard's direction, as his guard was being whittled down by the continous fire, and his own armour is beginning to break under the feat of firepower he had to bear. Magoichi continued her streak of attacks by taking twin assualt-rifles, as she fired them off in a double-take, back towards Richard, as he was uanble to block anymore, as the bullets hit him squarely on the chest, as the armour over it was beginning to be damaged from the attacks.

The onslaught on Magoichi still rages on, as she takes up twin tommy guns, as the pattering fire that they release, send Richard a few feet into the air, as his chest armour was being bent under the hollow-points of the equipped bullets, before she then let the final weapon, a large rocket-launcher, as she fired off a rain of rockets that struck everything around her for a explosive finale, as one of them find themselves squarely on Richard's chest, blowing him onto one of the cliff-walls, as what remained of his chest armour prevented the shrapnel from getting into his chest, in exchange for blowing it away, as his chest was exposed, and blood spilled from the gashes the secondary explosion caused on him, as he fell down onto his knees.

"What will you do, Musashi?" Magoichi taunted Richard, as she reverted back to her trusty flintlocks. "Wait until we have run out of ammunition?"

Richard immediately raised to his feet, as he was pained by the attack, before he then smiled.

"On the contrary... It's time for a little payback on that little fit of yours." Richard retorted back, as he crossed his blades above himself.

Suddenly he charged forth at Magoichi, before he slashed at her with his twin blades, slashing in opposite directions, as his katana left behind purple and black trails of dark energy, while his shortsword left behind similar trails in golden light energy. He then slammed the ground with a mighty stomp, before he then spun the blades around, as fire and ice danced onto the blades, creating twin wheels of the elements, as Magoichi was hit by both of them at once. Richard then jumped, as he then turned to his side, as he slashed down in rapid succession like a spinning wheel, as the green and yellow energies of wind and earth were seen on his blades, before he then did one final mighty cross-slash, as the elements all merged into a rainbow X, that blew to send Magoichi flying, as she skidded onto the ground, and Richard pointed his blade.

"This is the power of the way of the twin blades!" He declared.

As Magoichi got up onto her feet, as she was bruised and hurt all over, she wasn't angry at her loss, and was instead smiling.

"I've think I have seen enough heroics for one day." She said, before she spun the flintlock. "Ieyasu Tokugawa, we hereby join you in alliance."

She then pointed the flintlock up, before letting forth three shots, as they rung across the battlefield like bells declaring the dawn of a new age, or the horn of a battle won.

"Hear us now, we are the Saica Faction! The red bell rings!" Magoichi called out to the heavens. "The pact we have made, shall be known to all. Let it toll! Let the bell call out across the land!"

There was the distant rings of bells, as Magoichi holstered his flintlock, as Ieyasu only closed his eyes in respect of the sacred pact made.

"Magoichi. I ask you a question." Ieyasu asked her, as he approached.

"Go on." She gestured.

"It's about Mitsunari." Ieyasu told her. "I thought he might have already-"

Before he could continue, there was the sound of rushing wind, and the sword being drawn from a sheath, as it came down towards Ieyasu.

Gus, having already noticed the attack, immediately stopped the blade mid-strike, his blade's flat side grinding against the grarled blade, as he took a look at the attacker, and regretted doing so.

He looked right into the vengeful eyes of Mitsunari Ishida, who was grinding his teeth, and pushing the sword down to break Gus's guard, and slice him in two.

"Mitsunari... You have come to the Saica, like I did..." Ieyasu said.

Mitsunari gave Ieyasu a hate-filled glare, before he looked at Magoichi, who has already drawn another flintlock, and fired at his head.

The silver-haired avenger immediately used his blade to block the bullet, before leaping back, releasing Gus from the deadlock of blades.

"None of that matters anymore." Mitsunari stated in a cold tone, pointing the blade at Ieyasu. "Prepare yourself, Ieyasu! I am going to kill you here and now!"

He then pointed the blade at Magoichi. "But you! Magoichi Saica!" Mitsunari snarled. "You stay out of this."

"You forget that this is our land." Magoichi retorted back. "...And you are an intruder."

"And you forget that you are outnumbered, Mitsunari." Richard warned him, as he swiped his blades into a combat stance.

"Who are you?" Mitsunari demanded.

"Musashi Miyamoto. Greatest swordsman of all under Heaven, rings any bells?" Richard asked, cocking his head slightly. "And as of now, your future executioner. I suggest you run with your legs between your legs, like the lapdog to the tyrant Hideyoshi. A honorless monster like you does not deserve to live among these times."

"You will not get in my way to kill Ieyasu!" Mitsunari growled, as he took a step forward, waving his sword by his side for battle.

"Not for now, Musashi." Magoichi asked. "You seem to look like I have done quite the number on you. As the one who owns this land, I will teach him some manners."

"I can't." Ieyasu declined.

"Do not mistake my demand as kindness." Magoichi replied. "This is our land! And we will defend it ourselves."

"...So be it." Ieyasu replied, as he took a step back. "Next time then, Mitsunari."

"Ieyasu... don't you dare run away!" Mitsunari clambered forward with rage.

Before he could do so, he was met by the fist of Reimu.

"Surprise, emo boy!" Reimu cried out, as the momentum of the strike send Mitsunari backwards, upside-down, as he skidded on the ground.

When he got up, with renewed rage for whoever interfered with his revenge, he noticed that the other Tokugawa members have already retreated already, and Magoichi was preparing to fight him, and by the corner of his eye, he saw Ieyasu in the skies, riding Tadakatsu.

"IEYASUUUUUU!" Mitsunari roared with fury to the skies.


	3. Chapter 2: Sanada

Chapter 2: Flooding Ueda Castle

* * *

 _At the Tokugawa main base..._

The soldiers of Ieyasu were recovering from their last battle, as they were wounded severely by their battle with the Saica faction, who has now allied with them, evident by their soldiers wandering around the base, practising their marksmanship with their rifles and guns.

Richard, or 'Musashi', was licking his wounds, in a metaphorical sense, after his battle with the Saica, as his chest was bandaged slightly, to help prevent the loss of blood from the gashes that he has earned in the battle, while Sanae gave him worried looks.

"Oooh.." Richard groaned, as he stood up slowly, to avoid injuring himself. "That lady Saica really knows how to rain hell onto someone. I don't think anyone with armour less protected than mines would survive this kind of attack, and I was even blocking with my blades for half of her salvo."

"Rest for a while, Musashi." Ieyasu ordered Richard, worried about his condition. "You are too important to me to die now. I want you to live to see a new era of peace."

"A new era of peace?" Richard replied back, before smirking. "Heh, that's something I oughta see."

"As I suspected, Mitsunari sought the aid of the Saica just as we did." Ieyasu said to his men. "We'll need more allies if we're to face him."

"What of Hideaki Kobayakawa? Sure, he bears the standard of the Western Army." One of his generals asked. "But whispers in the shadows tell of a bitter grudge he nurses towards the Dark King."

"Hideaki? Really?" Ieyasu asked, a little surprised by the news.

"There was a time, my Lord, when you saw fit to protect him from Hideyoshi's fury." The general added. "Or would you have stood up for any stranger in such a position?"

"Did I really?" Ieyasu placed a hand under his chin in deep thought.

"You did. And because of it, I'm sure he'll at least entertain your proposal. Let's send our potential ally a message." The general confirmed. "When the time is right, I'm sure he'll see which way the wind is blowing, and join the Eastern Army."

"A good plan... I suppose..." Ieyasu nodded at his general's proposition.

Soon, a messenger entered the meeting spot, carrying a scroll within his hands, although he is not as frantic and hurried as the previous one.

"My lord. We have gathered information about the recent events that have occurred." The messenger addressed his lord.

Ieyasu silently took the scroll, as he looked over it, and read through the various factions fighting against each other, with one victorious over the other, and was interested, when he saw that Mitsunari's Forces had defeated Oichi's own, the remnants of Nobunaga's own army.

"Hm... So Mitsunari is also vying to gain ground and allies against me." Ieyasu stated, before he closed the scroll, and placed it in the hands of a soldier, who left to archive it somewhere, as the soldier himself passed through Sanae, who was blessing the more heavily wounded soldiers with a blessing of fast recovery.

When the soldier left, the very figure of Magoichi Saica came into sight, as her clothes were ruffled and torn a little, but was unharmed otherwise.

"I beg your pardon for the delay." Magoichi announced her arrival, before seeing her men being taken care of. "I see that you have stuck to your promise, Ieyasu."

"I wouldn't do nothing less. My patience is endless, Magoichi. Though I can't say that I wasn't worried." Ieyasu answered back humbly.

"Save your worries. He put me in no more peril than would a wasp buzzing about my face." Magoichi replied. "He immediately left, after he realised the fight was pointless, and immediately ran out of the stronghold, muttering revenge on you."

"Then I see that my recent departure left him fuming." Ieyasu stated with a nod. "We march for the Sanada at Ueda Castle next. We will need to conquer them, lest their hatred for the Tokugawa consumes them to attack us."

"We have word that Lord Shingen is still stricken by his recent illness." Another general reminded him.

"I remember our last encounter quite well." Ieyasu acknowledged his subordinate's words. "He was my teacher, and his lessons brutal. I faced the Tiger and am a better man for it."

"Enjoy the memory, my Lord." The general answered back. "For we may never cross swords with them again."

"I wish I had your confidence. A tiger's cub still has claws and fangs. He could bite through my throat in the blink of an eye, or rip me to shreds." Ieyasu sighed. "I speak of Yukimura Sanada, his successor. And I fear that day may be as inevitable as prophecy."

"If you're going to fight the Sanada, I'm coming too." Richard added. "You won't fight this battle alone, not as long as I breathe and none of my limbs are severed."

"Musashi, you must rest, before-" Ieyasu tried to dissuade Richard.

"Nonsense, Ieyasu. I'm quite fine for the trip." Richard replied with a grin. "My wounds will heal over the journey. I have faced much worse wounds by the blades of more skilled swordsmen. A few pieces of shrapnel won't bring me down that easily. Although I like to keep the bandages as proof of the great battle I have fought."

"I see. And you, Magoichi?" Ieyasu asked the red-haired gunner.

"I will remain here. Someone will have to defend your base from any unwelcome intruders." Magoichi answered back. "My men will set the traps for you now, and perhaps with some improvements, they won't be so easily outsmarted as you did before."

"Very well, then we march for Ueda Castle!" Ieyasu declared, as he ordered his men to march.

The cries of the men drowned his own, as he smiled at the power of the bonds he has forged.

* * *

 _At Ueda Castle..._

The officers of the Tokugawa found themselves in front of a large castle, complete with walls and barricades, as there was a large wooden arched bridge that led them to the front gate of the castle grounds, as sakura blossoms rained from the many sakura trees in the area. The bridge was over a moat, so long and large as it runs through the majority of the castle.

"Yukimura... It's been a long time..." Ieyasu muttered to no-one in particular.

The forces of Shingen, evident by the crimson armour they wear, and the red banner of the Takeda they serve under, charge at the forces, as the officers waste little time dispatching the vanguard troops.

"A deep moat surrounds Ueda Castle..." One of the officers noted. "This isn't going to be easy."

"Hm. True. What is your name, astute officer?" Ieyasu asked.

"Shigekane Suzuki." The officer introduced himself. "I will accompany you under the orders of Lady Magoichi, as her general, and now... yours."

They soon advance further into the castle, until they found themselves in a area, that contained a water gate that was linked to the moat, as the camp pedestral was on top of a wooden platform, that left a large gap for any out-flowing water to pass through.

"My lord, we should use the moat of the enemy to our advantage." Gus suggested. "We should take control of the water gate, and use it to initiate flooding tactics."

"It does seem that the moat have quite the volume of water, enough to flood the right positions." Ieyasu mumbled, before he then nodded. "Very well, but make sure that our men do not get swept away."

Richard immediately takes out the camp commander with a well-placed smash on the back of his head, conking him out, as the Tokugawa camp commander took his place.

"Everyone get moving! We are about to flood the area by the other side!" Richard called out to the Tokugawa men.

The Tokugawa soldiers immediately obey the order, as they pull away from their engagements, leaving the Takeda troops confused, as they saw the men congregate on top of the platform.

"OPEN THE WATER GATES!" The camp commander ordered. "Let the flood take them away! They won't stand a chance!"

The large water gate slowly opened, as a large portion of the moat's water gushed out like a miniature torrent, as the Takeda soldiers was swept away screaming in fear, as they were too late to realise what their enemies were doing, as the water actually manages to slam a cluster of soldiers into the unsuspecting Takeda camp commander, conking him out, and making the camp neutral to whoever takes or retakes it.

As soon as Ieyasu taken the camp with one of his own camp commanders, they took the longer path around, despite seeing the gate in the direct path open.

"If we are to keep our advantage, we will need to explore carefully for the other water gates, so that we can exploit them for our tactics." Richard stated.

"Have you studied much on the tactics of war, Musashi?" Ieyasu asked.

"Ah yes. I knew that question would come up sooner or later." Richard replied. "My father, whose name I cannot speak of, to respect his will and promise to me, has taught me about the basics of war, as well as his swordsmanship. The rest, I have learnt from observations in observing the various battles on the battlefield. I'm no savage, Ieyasu, for although I am only as smart as any of your military officers, I will prove my value in assisting your strategies."

They soon were met by a closed gate, which was guarded by a small group of soldiers, that was led by a spear-wielding general.

"Allow me to take care of this." Reimu stated, as she moved forward.

She then did a sliding kick, as the soldiers were being knocked back by her low blows, as the attack actually manages to break some of their armour, revealing the tunic underneath, before she then did a flying upwards kick that had a glowing golden spike over her dominant leg, as it drilled in her opponents, breaking the rest of their armour, and knocking them out.

As soon as the Takeda general fell to her attack, the gates opened, taking them into another area with a water-gate to open, as the stairs to the platform were blocked by shielded soldiers of the Takeda, only to have their attempts to hinder their enemies rendered useless, as Ieyasu leapt over their heads like a child playing leapfrog, before slamming a charged fist into the torso of the enemy camp commander, taking the base.

Reimu was dusting her hands off, as she watched as the moat water flood into the adjacent area, as the prepared Takeda ambush cavalry units were swept away before they knew it, by the cold waters.

"The water's too cold! We can't take it anymore!" The enemy soldiers that were so close to the flood cried in unison, as they immediately fled in terror away from the gushing icy waters, as they abandoned their posts, allowing their camp to be abandoned for Ieyasu's benefit to take over.

Ieyasu then noticed that there was another passageway in the area, as it led them underground, but it was still flooded by the cold waters, although the draining of the moat did lower the water levels a little.

"Hm... It seems that there is another way across. But it means that I'll have to lower water levels even more." Ieyasu contemplated. "Musashi? Could you hold a contingent of men here? I have a strange feeling that there is some way to ambush Yukimura here."

"As you wish, my liege." Richard bowed, as he whistled to get some of the men, including two squad leaders to gather around him.

The rest of the force, with Ieyasu, advanced through the area, where they were met by a wild orange-haired ninja, wearing a head-guard, and yellow camouflage, as well as steel gauntlets and boots, standing on top of one of the walls, with his left leg up in the air, crossed over.

"Expectations." The ninja spoke in a care-free tone, and a warm expression. "I would keep them low if I were you. The Takeda Clan and I... can offer you nothing."

He then leapt off the wall, landing on the ground, as he fell into the shadows like a hole, leaving a black round shadow where he would be, before it disappeared, and reappeared closer, as he rose out of it like a tower.

"I'm sorry... but you better leave." The ninja told them, before he raised two three-pronged and bladed shuriken in his hand. "Because if you don't..."

He raised the shuriken, and swept it over his face, as his expression turned serious. "...I might get angry." He finished his threat.

 _Sasuke Sarutobi ~ Reporting for Duty_

Sasuke then clapped both of his hands together, as shadows appeared around his entire body, before they split off from his body, forming two more copies of himself, both with the same appearance and weapon in his hands.

Reimu merely raised a eyebrow. "Shadow Cloning? Now that's the first time I have seen a duplicating technique outside the ones I already know." Reimu remarked.

"Though Shingen is absent, he still casts a heavy shadow." Sasuke declared. "So I will fight to maintain it!"

The Sasuke clones immediately followed after the real one, as the generals were forced to split it, to fight against each of them.

"Ugh, damn it! How are we going to take out these decoys?" Shigekane cursed, as he managed to block a few blows from a clone.

"That's simple, you just have to keep beating them all, until the real one is down for the count." Sanae advised him, as Ieyasu was dealing the real Sasuke, Reimu was dealing with another, and Shigekane was managing to delay the remaining clone, while Gus was approaching him, as she eyed the open gate to the next area. "Speaking of which..."

She immediately headed into the next area, as Ieyasu clashed his fists against the shurikens that was intent on cutting him. "You have grown to become a fine ninja, Sasuke." Ieyasu remarked.

"Indeed. Only the best could hope to keep the Takeda clan alive as it is." Sasuke responded back, as he rapidly cut at Ieyasu, as the pugilist used his fists to block every blow.

Before they could attack any further, they heard the sound of rushing water from behind them, as they saw Sanae riding on top of the flood, waving at them.

"What's up, guys?" Sanae cheerfully declared.

As the flood came, Gus and Reimu immediately jumped as high as they could to avoid the torrent, even using some of their hidden flight power to keep them up long enough for the water to subside, while Ieyasu merely ran up a wall, and jumped to the other, using the momentum of his feet to keep him adhered to the wall.

The clones and Shigekane were not so lucky, as Shigekane was swept away by the flood, into the lower moat, and the clones were being slammed in the face by Sanae's staff, knocking them out while their guards were down, as they faded away, leaving only the real Sasuke, who immediately dropped into the shadows to avoid the flooding attack.

When he rose up, he was held at blade-point by Reimu, Gus, and some of the other Tokugawa officers. Knowing that he was surrounded, he immediately fled the battlefield, into the shadows.

"This is goodbye for now... But I will be back." Sasuke told them, before he leapt over a wall, and left the battlefield.

Back on Richard's side, he noticed that the underground passage has been cleared of any water, from the last gate being opened.

"So I guess Ieyasu really did it." Richard smirked. "Men, charge!"

The Tokugawa squad let out a war cry, as they headed down the passage, where they promptly smashed any Takeda opposition inside, as they came up in the lower moat, and found a downed Shigekane.

"Oh... It seems that I have finally suffered defeat at the hands of unexpected circumstances..." He huffed.

Richard immediately pulled him up to his feet. "Now you know how the Takeda feel when we flooded them right through the entire area. Congrats." He said with a little sarcasm.

"General Musashi! I see. Allow me to support you, even with how pathetic I seem now." Shigekane responded back, grateful for Richard in helping him back into the fight.

They marched up the stairs, as they noticed that there was a camp behind the duellling ring, where Yukimura, a hot-blooded youngster with short brown hair tied by a red bandana, clad in a red coat with the yellow six mon of the Sanada on his back, white pants with red flames over the legs, red boots, and wielding twin flaming spears, was wielding his spears, and was prepared to give off a bold speech to embolden his own spirit.

Richard wasted no time taking the camp over, and lowering the bridge that would be the back entrance into the ring.

Just as soon as Ieyasu and the others came in from the front gate into the ring, Richard sneakily moved towards Yukimura, sheathing both of his blades on his back.

"We! Are! Ready!" Yukimura cried, with each swing of his twin spears, before crossing his spears. "And we welcome all attacks, for there is no force that can penetrate our defences."

He then pointed his spear at Ieyasu. "Try as you may, Tokugawa soldiers, you will only know failure!" Yukimura declared. "Within me is Takeda spirit, entrusted to me to preserve his fate. In my blood! In my heart! My SOUL! It defines who I am. It is my destiny to courageously defend his legacy-!"

When he felt a finger tap his right shoulder, he immediately turned, and came face to face with Richard, who was smiling like a Cheshire Cat. "Knock knock~" He teased.

Yukimura immediately shouted in surprised, as he turned around, with his spears flailing around away from him.

"What have I done!?" Yukimura declared in shock, as he bowed his head in shame. "I, Yukimura, have foolishly defend us from the rear! It can't be! As long as the water fills the moat around the castle... Wait, where has all the water gone!?"

 _Yukimura Sanada ~ Willing and Able? Hot-Blooded Fool_

"Used to flood your camps." Richard bluntly stated, as he clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk, Yukimura. To leave your flank open like that. Surely Shingen has taught you not the underestimate your opponent's wiles. And look where it has got you. You prove less worthy as the successor of the Takeda with such a rash action."

"Wait... Who are you?" Yukimura asked, as he got up to his full height.

"The one and only Musashi Miyamoto." Richard announced. "And you, Sanada, are about to be schooled hard!"

He immediately unleashed his ultimate attack, as Shigezane appeared beside him, cheering him on, and assisting him with a series of rapid strikes, as the duo manage to send Yukimura down into the ground, damaged greatly by his attack, as he fell to his knees.

"Damn it all..." Yukimura cursed, as he pounded the ground with his fists.

"Tell me, Yukimura..." Ieyasu asked. "How is Lord Shingen these days?"

"That is no concern of yours! Now get out of here!" Yukimura shouted back with a venomous tone, expressing his hate towards Ieyasu. "It's because of you, that the Takeda clan has suffered! You should be ashamed of what you've done!"

"Why do you insist on provoking me!?" Ieyasu demanded in a hurt tone. "As a fellow admirer of Lord Shingen, I came to seek your help, not your scorn."

"Spare me your lies, Ieyasu! Do you think that I'm a fool!?" Yukimura roared, as he sunk into sorrow. "If only I was the one to suffer from illness and not my lord... I see your power, and it fuels the jealousy within me... It's pathetic..."

Richard then walked past Yukimura, not even batting him a glance.

"Come on, my lord. It seems that Sanada has no intentions of allying with us." Richard coldly said. "Let us go."

Ieyasu was about to say something, before he saw Yukimura give him a look filled with animosity, before he closed his mouth and turned away.

"Then I apologise for what I have done then, Yukimura." Ieyasu replied. "I only hope one day, that we can reconcile, and I atone for what I have done to you."

As the Tokugawa army withdrew, Yukimura was left kneeling on the ground, as he was crying at his defeat.


	4. Chapter 3: Uesugi

Chapter 3: The Bishamonten of Kawanakajima Tundra (Kenshin)

* * *

 _At the Tokugawa main camp..._

A messenger came into the camp, as Richard was still wearing the bandages over his chest, although the wounds below have already healed after his fight with Yukimura Sanada, as he is scolding a group of soldiers, who are shaken by their next target.

"Suck it up, men!" Richard spoke to them in a sour tone. "You have all the great warriors on your side! Hell, even I, Musashi, am serving by your sides! You better not make up a reason for abandoning Ieyasu, just because you're afraid of some guy who's like a god!"

Reimu was doing the same thing, although she went for a more brutal approach, threatening to beat anyone who tries to desert the army herself, proven by the small pile of conked-out soldiers that is slowly growing.

Soon, another messenger appeared, handed Ieyasu the recent reports in the land of Japan, as there were fewer invasions in this period, although he was shocked by something he has recently noticed. Shingen's Forces had forged a alliance with Mitsunari's own, just after the latter finished off the Mori.

"So he has spurned my friendship for Mitsunari..!" Ieyasu cursed, as he clenched his fists in feelings of betrayal. "I see, Yukimura. I knew not how deep your hatred ran, how icy its grasp, to ally yourself with Mitsunari in order to gain your vengeance against me."

"My liege?" A general of the Tokugawa army asked his lord, who was still trying to process the shock within him. "We await your orders to invade Kawanakajima, and take out the Uesugi."

"I see." Ieyasu replied, as he turned out after he snapped out of his trance of shock. "Tadakatsu, everyone! I'm counting on you!"

* * *

 _In the Kawanakajima Tundra..._

The Tokugawa army found themselves in the frozen plains of Kawanakajima, where they saw hill after hill, being frozen over by the white snow, and rivers flowing around the entire battlefield like streams in a lake, outside of the very island that they were standing on.

Most of the invading soldiers were left shivering, as their armour, although thick, could not protect them from the brutal cold, as their chattering teeth could be heard by the Unmei Force officers, Tadakatsu, and Ieyasu himself, all of which were unaffected by the cold, where Ieyasu endured it, Tadakatsu's internal mechanisms are immune to the feeling of coldness, and Richard casted heat magic over himself and his allies, to help them cope with the cold around them.

"Brr... It's so cold..." A soldier staggered out.

"And Kenshin's nowhere to be found... We only found Kanetsugu with our scouts, as well as Keiji Maeda." A general added.

As the Uesugi forces marched towards them, they were met by Tadakatsu's giant drill-lance, that sent them flying as the hulking warrior sent them flying with each strike of his spear.

They soon reached a small intersection, as they found that Keiji Maeda was waiting on the left exit, at a Uesugi camp, and the path in front was being covered by many Uesugi forces.

"It seems that we will have to split our forces." Ieyasu stated, before ordering his men. "Akashi and Munemori, I ask that you will advance without us, and take care of any threats and ambushes that may come down the path in front of us."

"Understood, my lord!" Gus replied back with a honoured tone, as he immediately marched down the passageway, slicing through the Uesugi blockade with his blade, and Reimu's assistance in the form of amulets seeping the conscious out of the enemy soldiers.

Richard, Ieyasu and Sanae immediately entered the camp, with the rest of the Tokugawa forces, as they saw a man with long brown hair that was left to flow down his back, as most of his hair on the back, was tied into a long and thick pony-tail that flowed in the air. He wore a red and black tunic, that was only partially covered on the left side, by his thick yellow cotton robe vest, with white linings, and baggy crimson royalty pants, and zebra-striped boots. He had three feathers of white and red sprouting from the left side of his hair, as in his right hand was a blue flower, as his weapon, a long spear with a ring of ribbons around it, was embedded into the ground.

"Even the coldest blanket of snow cannot smother the growth of a flower." Keiji solemnly spoke like a poet, before he slotted the flower near his feathered head accessories. "A flower of love! A flower of peace!"

He then grabbed his spear, and flung it up, before spinning around, and catching it, crossed across his back horizontally, both arms hung over it.

"I will watch as the snow is melted, and the cold vanished!" Keiji declared, as he prepared for battle.

 _Keiji Maeda ~ Daydreaming_

As Ieyasu moved forward to clash with him, and Richard and Sanae took care of the troops around them, Keiji suddenly adapted a more friendly expression, seeing Ieyasu.

"Hey, Ieyasu! Long time no see!" Keiji spoke in a cheerful tone, as if greeting a friend.

"Yes. It's been a while, Keiji." Ieyasu smiled back. "I see that you are still wandering in the lands of Uesugi as it is?"

"That's right. It's not exactly my time to return to the Maeda clan yet." Keiji responded to the question, his tone a little more sorrid. "I guess we'll have to fight until one of us admits defeat?"

"Quite so." Ieyasu answered back, as he immediately slammed his fist on the ground, unleashing a pulse of golden light that burst around him on the ground, knocking Keiji back.

The two generals then immediately clashed against each other, as they smashed against each other's weapons, as each hit upon their own weapons caused shockwaves to ring out, and stagger everyone on their feet, even sending them flying and smashing into the ground, from the sheer might the clash of power and strength had created.

Richard could only watch in awe, as he watched the two combatants kept their stalemate without any sign of either side giving up any time soon.

"Damn... Now that's power there!" Richard exclaimed, as he was awed by the display, as the last Uesugi men in the camp were smashed out by Reimu's physical attacks.

As Gus reached their destination, a Uesugi camp on a higher ground than the other one, except it contained a large stone gate that had the inscription of the Bishamonten on the front surface, and lots of Uesugi officers and squad leaders guarding it.

"Stand back!" Sanae cried, as she moved forward, and smashed her staff, as she caused the earth the splinter under them, and push against their feet, flinging them out of the camp, and most of them into the icy waters of the river.

Gus immediately did a voiceless thanks to Sanae, with a gesture, before then taking out the camp commander before he could even have the chance to take up his weapon and defend himself.

As soon as the camp was taken over, the Bishamonten stone gate slid open, revealing a alternate passage to the enemy main camp, just as Ieyasu won over the parrying clash with a well-charged uppercut into Keiji's chest, sending the large jolly warriors flying a few feet, before he got back onto his feet.

"Maybe I'll take a break from this for a bit." Keiji said, as he fled from the battlefield, jumping over one of the rivers, and resting on the ledge of another piece of land.

When both of the Tokugawa units advanced to the Uesugi main camp, from both paths, they were met by the sight of a general in a yellow and blue cape, with steel armour around his entire body, and a helmet with the golden kanji for 'Love' placed on top of it like a sigil.

"I am the INVICIBLE Kanetsugu!" He boasted, as he reached down to his sword in his sheath, as he tugged at it, keeping his eyes on his enemies, to keep up his facade of courage and strength, although the sword refused to budge from his sheath. "Come and fight me!"

At those words, his sword was pulled out of his sheath, although not in the way he intended, as it flew out of the sheath like a fish out of water, and Kanetsugu was left standing like a fool.

"You... You can't hurt me without my sword! I'm more invincible without it!" Kanetsugu lied, as he frantically ran after his sword and picked it up, before he then raised it. "As long as I, the Invincible is here, Kawanakajima, too, will be invincible!"

The Unmei Force officers looked at each other, as Gus was wearing a pitying expression, and the expression of the others were more towards 'Are you kidding me?'.

Kanetsugu rushed at the officers, swinging his sword wildly with little control and skill in doing so, as Ieyasu wasn't even trying to hurt Kanetsugu, as he merely stepped away from each attack.

"It leaves me with a confused feelings, regarding the bonds that Kanetsugu and Kenshin share..." Ieyasu muttered to himself. "It's unwavering loyalty at the least, by the looks of it."

"Did you see that!? Wasn't I great!? I'm invincible, you know!?" Kanetsugu blabbered like a parrot, as he wasn't paying attention to his fight much. "My invinciblity is eternal! No one can defeat me-"

He was suddenly floored by a hard straight from Reimu, who has had enough of Kanetsugu's boasting, and immediately pinned him down between her legs, and smashed Kanetsugu's face repeatedly with hook after hook.

"Shut. The. Makai. Up!" Reimu roared, with each word followed by a hook onto Kanetsugu. "I'm sick of hearing your bullshit! All of it!"

"Wait! I'm Invincible!" Kanetsugu groaned, as his face was beaten up badly. "I cannot die-"

Reimu immediately stomped Kanetsugu's face into the ground, smashing it into a equally-sized crater.

"Invincible my fucking ass! Annoying, that's what you are!" Reimu fumed, as the illusion of a oni appeared behind her, scaring soldiers from both sides.

"Ouch..." Gus hissed, seeing the beatdown Kanetsugu was given by a very furious Reimu.

"Hoo... Although she didn't kill him, he's going to wish she did." Richard whistled in surprise. "Still, it wouldn't make sense for Kenshin to try something like this. I think he's already got something planned for us, or he's here already."

Ieyasu then turned up, as he saw a miniature blizzard appear on a hill above them, and a figure walked out. It was a sharp-eyed and feminine man, who was clad in a blue tunic, that was covered by a white coat with propped collars, and a white cape to complement his attire, and he wore long feathery white boots, and a belt over his waist, that had a bucklehead of a mountain, with drapes of ice diamonds on either side of it. On his side was a long katana.

"Hm... That is indeed correct, officer of Ieyasu." The figure spoke in a deep and cold tone. "This frozen land that is home to no other, has found its way into my heart."

He then unsheathed his katana, and pointed it, as a massive blizzard appeared from behind him, spreading across the battlefield.

"You, who trepass, must leave at once!" He declared, as the blizzard caused portions of the river to freeze over, as they formed solid bridges to other grounds, where the main Uesugi army was awaiting the moment, as they charged forth. "Or perhaps you will conquer the snow, and prove victorious over us? We will see."

The icy general stepped back into the blizzard, as he faded away within it.

"Kenshin..." Ieyasu said. "It seems that you have prepared for such a invasion. Very well, I will prove to you that I possess the power and strength to unite all of Japan under my banner. All troops, split up and take down the Uesugi reinforcements."

"Yes, my lord!" The generals and commanders collectively cried, as they immediately moved to engage the enemy forces.

"It seems that Keiji will return to battle soon. We must take care of him." Richard said. "I will engage him myself."

"And if I remember what we have gathered about the Uesugi, there is another who protects Kenshin. Kasuga." Sanae added. "I'll fight her myself."

"Then that leaves me and Gus to mop up the enemies?" Reimu asked, before smiling. "Fine by me. I'm happy to raid some cash rightfully from people."

The officers all encountered ninja clad in white robes and wrapping, under the service of Kenshin, as they were quite fast on their feet, although it merely took a few blows for them to fall in defeat.

Sanae soon manages to find Kasuga on the north-west path of the battlefield, who was a woman with blonde hair, that had long sprigs on both sides of her head, down the front of her body. She wore black leather clothing and boots, with her torso covered by a V-necked vest, that parted down to reveal her chest, and part of her own breasts.

"After the Tiger of Kai fell ill..." Kasuga spoke, as she rose her hand, fanning out the kunai blades in her hands between her fingers. "It began again... New misfortunes rose to plague his life!"

She then threw the kunai at Sanae, who immediately dodged to the side, as she saw it fly past her, and Kasuga landed, with a fan of kunai in front of her in the ground.

"Run away! I will not let you tread upon this snow!" Kasuga threatened Sanae, as she raised her hands, as the sharp strings tied to each blade glowed pink. "For this is Lord Kenshin's Land!"

 _Kasuga ~ The Lethal Weaver_

Kasuga threw her wired kunai at Sanae, as the green shrine maiden immediately dodged to the side, before firing off several magical orbs to weaken Kasuga, as she is hit, but not affected much by the attack.

"I see that in your eyes, you serve another." Kasuga spoke, as she threw her kunai in several rapid throws, as they landed on the ground in front of Sanae. "Then tell me, why do you serve another? Loyalty is meant to be kept."

"I am still loyal to the Moriya faith!" Sanae cried back, as she slammed her staff down to summon winds to knock Kasuga back and give her some space. "But my bond to Richard is no less stronger! And I fight to protect both him and my faith!"

"Then we will see how you will fight, when you have found yourself cornered." Kasuga intoned, as she immediately pulled out the kunai that she has lald, as they flew, creating thin pink slash lines, that surrounded Sanae, and moved towards her, as they hit all from all directions, as she could only manage to block a few of them.

Sanae immediately fell to her knees, as she was hurt from where the attacks had landed, as they have cut into her own robes deeply.

"Leave. I do not wish to kill someone as loyal to their own master as I am." Kasuga advised Sanae. "You have much to live for."

"But I won't let Richard fight alone... I won't go down that easily!" Sanae shouted with bravery, as she stood up.

She then fired off a few blasts, before she then crushed a Spell Card in her hands.

"You're not the only person who can trap people!" Sanae cried, before a magic circle appeared under her feet. "DECLARE SPELL CARD! ESOTERICA 'NINE SYLLABLE STABS'!"

The area in front of Sanae lit up, as several rainbow lines appeared in the area in front of her, as they formed a cubic prison over Kasuga, who was in the centre of it, before they lit up, and sparked with arcane energy, that burnt and damaged all enemies that were unfortunate to be near Kasuga at the time, as the loyal kunoichi was severely shocked and burnt from the attack, as she fell to the ground, slipping out of consciousness.

"So I've been defeated... Forgive me... Lord Kenshin..." Kasuga breathed, before she lost consciousness, as Sanae turned away, and returned back to the group.

Meanwhile, Richard was fighting against Keiji with Gus, as the two of them were attacking him from both directions, leaving the spear-user with little time to defend both sets of attacks, as he was soon defeated when Gus created a eruption under his feet, slamming him onto the ground from the fall, as he got up and turned away to flee.

"I'm afraid I really must be on my way." Keiji told them, as he immediately ran out of the battlefield. "Ieyasu, you have made a lot of powerful friends indeed."

Richard and Gus did not go in pursuit of Keiji, as they knew that he was humbly defeated.

"Whew... I guess Kenshin's next up on line." Richard stated, before he saw a blizzard appear at the Uesugi Main Camp again. "...And here he comes."

"I'll handle him this time. My fire should be able to counter his ice element." Gus replied, as he slammed his sword into the ground, charging it with fire, as it licked around the blade, and charging up the hill to the main camp.

There, Kenshin stood still, with his katana in his sheath, as he looked around the field.

"Hmhmhm... It is nice to stop and think of bygone days." Kenshin spoke to himself. "Sometimes I feel as if I've been frozen in time."

He then turned to Gus, as Ieyasu and the others blocked the other entrances themselves, ensuring that Gus would have a proper fight with Kenshin.

"Go and kick his ass, Munemori! I'm cheering for you!" Reimu yelled to Gus.

Gus nodded, as he placed his blade in both of his hands, and Kenshin did the same thing, as he drew his katana.

"Try if you dare!" Kenshin challenged Gus. "Let us see what you're capable of, general of the Tokugawa."

He then spun around, as the blade skimmed through the frigid air, leaving a thin trail of ice at the tip of his blade, as he placed the katana into his sheath, and adapting a iai quickdraw stance. "See if you can withstand the bite of my sword!" Kenshin roared.

 _Kenshin Uesugi ~ God of War_

Gus immediately responded to the draw, as he spun his blade around, and smashed it into the ground.

"Then as Lord Ieyasu's general..." Gus spoke with a steel will, as he drew it up, and levelled it by his side. "I dare you to try and defeat me, for I will not let you hurt my lord!"

 _Munemori Yagyu ~ Fiery Heart of Compassion_

Kenshin dashed forward, as he swung his blade out in a wide arc, as Gus did a counter-slash to knock the sword from its intended trajectory, before then slashing down to strike Kenshin with a heavy blow, only to hit thin air, as Kenshin dashed back.

"The fiery spirit in your eyes, the flames that your sword bears..." Kenshin noted, as he weaved around Gus's blows. "It seems that your own will of fire nearly matches that of the Tiger of Kai, Shingen Takeda. You have a lot of power, for a simple general, serving your lord."

"That flame is my very determination to lend a helping hand to all, the will to protect the flames of life of others from extinguishing in the tragedies of the lands." Gus replied back. "Because of that, I fear you not, God of War, Kenshin, for I will fight whoever I must, in order to fulfil my destiny as the protector of the people."

"I see that your heart roars with that kind of justice." Kenshin replied. "It would do you no justice if I were to distract you with words. I will see for myself, your power, flickering flame, and see if you can survive the bite of the cold, which threatens to snuff you out. I will not hold myself back."

"And I will cherish this very moment, and you will as well, no matter who comes out of this victorious." Gus answered back. "Let this duel between us prove which of us is the stronger, and the one who deserves the rule of this land!"

Kenshin merely let off a cold smile, as he acknowledged Gus's courage in facing him in single combat, before he rushed at the fiery swordsman, and knocked his guard open with a well-aimed strike to his sword, before then sheathing his sword, as the air around him became colder and colder, until it felt like the air was liquid ice.

As Gus managed to barely get his guard up, he was being slashed all over, as a myriad of slashes appeared around him, as if Kenshin was attacking at a speed that no human eye could comprehend, before Kenshin took out his sword, and thrust it onto Gus's abdomen, as the tip of it managed to pierce flesh, if only the skin, and Gus was knocked back.

"Munemori!" Sanae cried, as she was shocked by Gus's condition, as his forehead was bleeding from a slash that hit him there.

"It seems that you have not trained your own defence enough." Kenshin criticised Gus. "If you cannot form a proper defence, you cannot hope to defeat me. Unless you have a different way of fighting than I expected."

Gus stood up, as he wiped the blood of his forehead.

"You're absolutely right that I do!" Gus roared, as a aura of fire appeared around him, and the air heated to combat Kenshin's chill, causing the God of War to be intrigued by his resistance.

Gus then immediately gripped his great-sword with great might, as he slashed side-to-side at a rapid speed, moving forward at the same time, as the flames grew stronger with each strike, before he then jumped up, and slammed his sword into the ground, as it caused a massive eruption to occur, sending Kenshin flying into the air, as Gus immediately took his sword up, and placed it on his back.

"I shall protect all, no matter what!" Gus cried out in defiance, before he then moved back, as he was prepared to fight Kenshin again, although his wounds were taking its toll on him.

However, much to his surprise, Kenshin immediately sheathed his sword, as he turned away.

"It seems that the Tokugawa have grown much stronger from the times past." Kenshin said to himself, before facing Ieyasu. "Very well. You may have what you please. It matters little to me, so long as you do not sully our lands. I, as the leader of the Uesugi, surrender to you, Ieyasu Tokugawa."

"I accept your surrender, Kenshin." Ieyasu replied. "It seems that there is someone who could rival the Tiger in Munemori now, is there?"

"Quite so, cub of the Tiger." Kenshin nodded. "Be aware that you must not let yourself grow weak, with you allies fighting for you, lest you lose them in unimaginable ways."

Ieyasu only remained silent on those foreboding words, as Gus fell onto a knee, as he was left wounded by the fight.

"Urgh... That really hurt..." Gus groaned, as he tried to move.

"Take your time to recover, Munemori." Richard smiled. "You fought well."

"Musashi..." Gus spoke with gratitude, before smiling as well, as he sat down, and placed a hand over his forehead wound. "Yeah... I guess I should."

Sanae immediately took care of Gus, as she used some of her own magic to clean and purify Gus's wound for a near-perfect recovery.


	5. Chapter 4: Hojo

Chapter 4: Taking Odawara Castle (Hojo)

* * *

 _In the main camp of the Tokugawa army..._

As Gus was healing up from the wounds that he had against Kenshin, Richard came over, as his bandages seem to have been swapped, due to the cold making the previous set dirty again.

"So I take it you're healing up, Munemori." Richard calmly spoke. "You still up for another battle?"

"No... I don't think I'm ready to fight for the next conquest." Gus replied with a unhappy expression, shaking his head. "I hope that you all will do well without me. I ain't some determined swordsman who can fight with so many wounds, like you.

"Heh. I'll give the enemy force more hell just for you." Richard smirked. "Either way, you've done well to help our lord, so take a rest, and let the others take your job."

As Ieyasu was reading his next report of the current situation in the land, inside of his own camp he immediately sighed, and clutched his head with a hand.

"Hideaki... You tremble at the thought of Mitsunari..." Ieyasu bemoaned. "Why would you join him? Is it because my attempts to persuade you have unintentionally coerced you to join him, in fear of his wrath."

He then chuckled. "Mitsunari is nothing if not consistent. An actor looking to capture his spirit could not do better than himself." Ieyasu said.

"What brings you such amusement, cub of the Tiger?"

Ieyasu turned around, and saw that Kenshin was standing there, as the chilly warrior was standing by the entrance of the commander's camp.

"Ah, Kenshin." Ieyasu replied. "I am merely surprised at how things have turned with Hideaki. What brings you here?"

"A temporary farewell, if only for the moment." Kenshin spoke solemnly. "Too long have I waited for that which I desire. I will now seek it out among the lands, and there's no great length to which I will not go."

"Kenshin..." Ieyasu replied back.

"We will cross swords one day, without your allies by your side, Ieyasu. But the Tiger's spirit caged behind your eyes must first be free." Kenshin continued on. "Until then... keep that fire burning. Let it consume the world or fade to embers, but never let it die..."

Kenshin then turned away, as he faded into the horizon, onto his own personal journey.

"And I will await that day..." Ieyasu replied. "I swear I will conquer the lands so that the only battles that will happen are the ones that will not ruin the lives of the people."

He then looked at the map of Japan, as it had the current alignments of the many states of the land.

"It seems that the Hojo are to be next to be taken." Ieyasu replied. "Maybe it is for the better, for Ujimasa's sake."

* * *

 _At Odawara Castle.._

Ieyasu stood at the gates of the great castle, as he seems to only have taken Richard, Reimu, Sanae, and a few of his bodyguards with him, something that doesn't seem to please Richard.

"My lord, why exactly have you brought so few men?" Richard asked. "As much as you understand that we are powerful enough to make enemy forces tremble before our might, isn't it a tad arrogant to merely bring this much men?"

"I only hope to speak to Ujimasa, and ask him to retire from the battle for the conquest of the lands." Ieyasu explained. "I do not wish to harm his men any further than I must, in self-defence."

"...As you wish." Richard replied. "If he tries anything, I will not hesitate to remind him of his position when he finally come to 'negotiate'."

The men marched forward slowly, as they entered the castle, being alert and wary of any traps or ambushes in place, only to be a little relieved and surprised, when a few Hojo squads charged at them.

"Lord Ujimasa has ordered that you are to be properly entertained." The Hojo captain spoke. "And we shall do so with our blades."

"I see. Then I will take part in your mock-war then." Ieyasu said, as he raised his fists for battle. "I only hope you will not hold a grudge against me."

Ieyasu immediately attacked the soldiers, as he knocked them out one by one, as the other officers stayed back, as they observed the giant gate that was barring their path into the inner castle.

"Hm... It seems that Ujimasa is not fond of visitors..." Sanae replied. "Perhaps if we take away their gate commanders, it might open for us?"

"Right. Then while our lord is taking care of the Hojo vanguard, we'll take the gate camps ourselves." Richard agreed.

The three undercover members split up, as they each took out a camp, through some interesting means.

"We have come to meet Ujimasa." Richard declared in a diplomatic tone, as he blocked many of the Hojo soldiers' attacks with his blades. "I ask that you do not bar our path, lest we get rough."

"I am sorry, but it is our lord's order to protect this very camp with our lives, if necessary." The camp commander stoically replied.

"A shame. You are loyal, but that also means that I must defeat you." Richard sighed. "Forgive my actions, if you live to condemn them."

Richard immediately crossed his blades, as they charged up with light energy, as he threw them forward to create a growing dome of light that knocked the soldiers away, and also the camp commander, occupying the camp in a more non-violent way.

Reimu however, opted to sneak around the soldiers, and conk them one by one by either a punch or a kick to the head, as she was fast enough that they never knew what hit them, as the camp commander was shaking his head around, trying to spot whatever threat was attacking his men.

"Sorry, but this camp's mine." He felt a whisper in the ear, before he felt something heavy hit the back of his head, and he fell into dreamland.

Just as soon as Reimu and Richard had taken their camps, Sanae was just finished throwing the soldiers out of the camp with a large tornado, that she used and controlled, as she swung her arms around like a conductor, as the soldiers were being flushed out one by one, as the camp commander was the last to go, before she got rid of her tornado.

"Phew..." She sighed, as she wiped some sweat off her brow. "Now, that was quite fun, I got to admit."

Ieyasu was done getting rid of the rest of the Hojo vanguard, before he noticed the Supreme Gate of Honor open, as more Hojo forces poured forth to try and overwhelm Ieyasu.

Ieyasu immediately spaced his feet apart, as he immediately threw a series of punches, as the soldiers were being sucked into the attack, before he increased his pace, before his fists glowed with yellow light, as he began to attack at a speed where his fists blurred in normal vision, created thousands upon thousands of yellow streaks that hit the enemies, before he then did a strong straight that sent the battered forces back to where they came from.

As soon as he waited for Richard, Reimu and Sanae to return, he immediately headed into the castle, as he took the camps one by one, as the soldiers were helpless before their combined might, as they attacked without mercy, knocking out anyone that so much raised a weapon towards them.

As soon as they made for the final gate in their way, they saw that there was a man in black and white ninja garb, as his eyes were covered by his large headband, as there were red spike tattoos under his eyes, and he had a slender figure, as well as twin sais pulsing with dark energy.

The ninja immediately turned to them, as he silently examines them, before charging forth to attack.

 _Kotaro Fuma ~ The Silent Gale_

Kotaro immediately attacks the group, as he seems to dash at a speed much greater than the other officers, as he jumps around, throwing shuriken from different angles, as Ieyasu manages to block them all with his fists, and the other officers immediately retreat to allow Ieyasu space to fight Kotaro.

"So this is Ujimasa's personal shinobi, Kotaro Fuma..." Ieyasu marvelled at his opponent. "I could never match his speed, but I will overcome that advantage with my own power."

Kotaro attacked Ieyasu aggressively, as his attacks were unending and had little spacing between them, causing Ieyasu to eventually lose his guard, before he then dashed back, and did a dashing uppercut onto Kotaro, that knocked the ninja back a little, before he then winded his fist, and smashed Kotaro onto the gates.

Kotaro then immediately placed his hands together, before shifting through many ninja hand-signs, as a shadowy aura appeared around him, as he attacked forward with both of his sais, right at Ieyasu, before throwing a flurry of shurikens, as he disappeared from Ieyasu's sight, and appeared behind him with large six-bladed shurikens, before throwing them at Ieyasu's back, as Ieyasu was unable to block, as his back was torn apart slightly by the blades, as he immediately pushed them off himself before they could do more damage.

Ieyasu immediately then charged at Kotaro, before then head-butting Kotaro with all of his might, repeatedly slamming his head onto Kotaro's, as each headbutt left a shockwave from the sheer might behind it, before Ieyasu drawed his head back, as it shone on the forehead, before he then slammed his head forward, as it knocked Kotaro into the ground, as the ninja tried to get up, before falling down, unable to fight anymore.

"My lord! Are you alright?" Sanae asked, worried about the wounds on Ieyasu's back.

"This is merely a flesh wound for the pains that my allies and friends had to suffer." Ieyasu replied back in a calm tone, seeming to be nearly unaffected by the wounds. "Let this be a reminder that I will be willing to share your pain, if it will bring you hope for the future."

Sanae was touched by his words, even more so the Tokugawa generals, as some of them sobbed, as they were unable to hold back the gratitude towards their lord, for his generosity.

"Let us meet Ujimasa." Ieyasu ordered his men, as he walked forward.

When they continued forward, they met Ujimasa Hojo, who was sitting on the ground, as he was a man clad in steel breast-plate armour, and a blue robe, as his purple skirt-plates bore the symbol of the Hojo, as his legs were covered by blue steel boots, as his expression was filled with shame and fear.

"I can hear it... I can hear the laughter of defeat approaching...!" Ujimasa spoke in a fearful tone, before he then got up, as he seemed to have converted that fear into rage. "No! I have had enough of being pushed around, just because the Hojo has lost its former glory!"

He then stood up, as he faced Ieyasu.

"What's the problem? Why am I angry?" Ujimasa ranted, as he swung his arms in rage. "I'll tell you why! Why can't I be the one who wins!?"

He then immediately rushed over to where his spear, a large long wooden spear, armed with six sickle-like blades wrapped around the point equally, like a trident, and picked it up.

"I want to restore the glory of the Hojo clan." Ujimasa spoke, as he swung his spear up and down. "After that, I want to rule all of-"

He immediately jolted up straight, as he immediately bent over, clutching his back, mostly from a over-stretched spine, as he immediately chittered in pain, as he fell down to his knees, holding his spear, and clutching his poor back with another.

 _Ujimasa Hojo ~ Taking it Back_

Ujimasa then stood up, as he wielded his spear. "Sorry for that little display, Ieyasu." Ujimasa apologised. "I am so angry after everything that has happened to me."

"I can understand your pain, Ujimasa." Ieyasu nodded. "Do you truly wish to be my ally?"

"With all of my heart! So spare me your fists, if you would!?" Ujimasa begged, as he doesn't seem to want to fight, despite his bold speech before.

"To be my friend, will make you Mitsunari's foe. Is that a position you're willing to commit to?" Ieyasu asked.

"Pish-tosh! We'll give the boy a good paddling and send him on his way!" Ujimasa replied. "The forces of the Eastern Army are powerful and many! Besides, no one in their right mind would ally with the likes of him! A horse has better sense!"

"Very well. Then I accept your alliance." Ieyasu answered back. "After all, my men have roughed up your forces."

"Ah, no harm is done! My men needed a workout after being in this castle without any battles to fight for so long." Ujimasa answered back. "And it seems that you have given Kotaro quite the beating there."

Richard only sweat-dropped, at how easily Ujimasa surrendered.

"That... was anti-climatic." Richard stated.

"You don't say." Reimu replied, her arms crossed, and a deep frown. "That old man doesn't seem he will amount to much for us."


	6. Chapter 5: Nanbu

Chapter 5: Battle of Mount Osore

* * *

 _At the Tokugawa main camp..._

Richard was wolfing a few bowls of rice given as rations to him, as he seemed to be satisfied with the taste, as they were flavoured with several different types of beans, and pork chops, and a few sticks of nori seaweed, as his comrades were enjoying themselves with the same kind of meal, as they were sitting on the same spot on the ground.

"This is brilliant!" Richard cried, as he let out a sigh of relief, after finishing off his bowl of food. "I never thought that the armies in this period of time would feed us such great food!"

"Eating this reminds me of our home..." Sanae said, as she seems to be smiling. "I'm really impressed with how fresh the ingredients are, despite the warring situation."

"I guess, Lord Ieyasu must really like us!" Gus laughed. "If he's holding us in such great favour, to keep us full and healthy, I think he'll be easier to recruit into our ranks."

"And why would you want him? Isn't he going to dismiss us after Japan is united?" Reimu asked, as she took a few more gulps of rice.

"Ah, dear Akashi. You see, after Ieyasu unites the land, his ambition will come to an end. But as a warrior who fights for the people, would it be fair to leave him without a purpose?" Richard spoke in a serious tone. "That is why he is the most likely person to join our forces. I might actually find a way to get Tadakatsu with him, through the use of a Summon Stone, if it'll help."

Reimu only hummed and nodded, as the four of them went back to filling their bellies.

Meanwhile, Ieyasu was talking to one of his generals privately, in his own camp tent.

"The Dark King's rage has peaked, and fast subsides, my Lord." The general stated. "Considering the events of the Siege of Odawara Castle, it's no wonder."

"There would have been no surrender without Kanbei's guile, not with Mitsunari's bloodlust in full bloom." Ieyasu sadly replied, as he shook his head. "Let us tend to this new bond, that it may bear new fruit."

Soon, another messenger breaks into the tent, as he kneels before Ieyasu like the others that have visited him.

"Lord Ieyasu, good news! Our numbers increase!" The messenger declared with joy. "Tsuruhime, the much-esteemed Oracle, has announced her decision to join us."

"The Oracle!? She's really here!?" Ieyasu replied with awe, as he rushed forward. "Where is she, my dear messenger?"

"She is just outside the tent, waiting to meet you." The messenger answered back, before then bowing and taking his leave.

Ieyasu immediately parted the flaps of his tent, as he saw a lady with bobbed black hair, and dressed in a pink shrine maiden robe with droopy white sleeves that have stitches embedded in them. She also had long white socks and toothed sandals on her legs, and in her hand was a longbow.

"Pleased to meet you, Ieyasu!" Tsuruhime exclaimed with a cheerful tone. "I'm Tsuruhime! Thanks for having me!"

Before Ieyasu could speak further, she saw that Reimu was running up to where the two of them were, with a tense expression.

"Sorry, Lord Ieyasu, but I must immediately have a word with Oracle Tsuruhime." Reimu apologised with a bow, before turning to Tsuruhime with a suspicious glare. "Are you truly a shrine maiden as they say, and that the title of Oracle is merely a extension?"

"That's right! I take you're a shrine maiden like me?" Tsuruhime asked in a curious tone. "I'm glad to meet another person who has been a miko before!"

"A miko, huh..." Reimu hummed. "You know, if it were back where I was, people would say that you might be biting off my style with those white sleeves of yours."

"Ex-Excuse me!?" Tsuruhime blurted out, annoyed by Reimu's statement.

"It's nothing. I'm just a little surprised that there would be another shrine maiden like Rikiya." Reimu answered back with a shake of his hand. "Continue on, Lord Ieyasu."

"The pleasure is all ours, Tsuruhime! You honour us with your presence." Ieyasu welcomed Tsuruhime with a warm and friendly tone. "Uh, what prompted this, if I may ask?"

"Hmph, it's because that Yoshitsugu had the nerve to give me a bad bill of goods!" Tsuruhime pouted. "I came here to help you, so that I can teach him a lesson for trying to be such a weasel! Being a Oracle to the Heavens isn't a easy job, and I need compensation for the services required!"

Reimu only let out a quiet hiss, before she then put a hand on the Oracle's shoulder.

"I feel you. Hell hath no fury than a shrine maiden scorned." Reimu spoke in a heated tone. "As shrine maidens who cannot stand the injustice of being treated miserably, we'll show that Mitsunari that shrine maidens are a force to be reckoned with!"

Tsuruhime only nodded in agreement. "Thank you..."

"Call me Akashi. That's what everyone here calls me." Reimu simply answered back.

Ieyasu then smiled, as Tsuruhime walked away, satisifed.

"Our band of allies is small now, but someday, it will grow to a multilude." Ieyasu spoke to no-one in particular. "Dire threats... Treachery... those are not the methods of a righteous man, Mitsunari! These are the acts of a villain! How many more must suffer before you recognise the power of unity?"

* * *

 _At Mount Osore..._

The mountain range that the Tokugawa army has treaded upon, was a land of darkness, that seemed to have none of the warm atmosphere that any of the other regions had, as the air around the mountain was dreary and cold, as a crimson mist covers the gulfs and cliffs of the mountain from below, as the path was riddled with stone piles and dead trees, to remind them of the dark land they tread upon, as the skies were dark with the only light of the sun blocked by the clouds.

"From the blackest sky, the spirits descend." A grave voice rang out through the mountain. "Upon these times, this fight to end."

"Where is that voice coming from...?" Reimu asked. "I don't feel like that this is going to be anything but normal."

As they walked forth, they saw the first wave of enemies, which was only a man clad in armour, except his body was rigid and stiff, and his face was covered by his helmet to near obscurity, only two blue sunken, yet fiery eyes could be seen, as a faint blue flame-like aura emitted from his body.

"What the... What is this!?" Gus asked, disgusted and shocked at what he is seeing.

"A soul struck down upon these lands, only to rise again to fight until its second death..." Richard spoke in a grim tone. "It seems that the undead and the ethereal stand before this land..."

"This..." Ieyasu could only say this, as he had nothing to say about the torturous state that the enemy warrior was locked in.

As Ieyasu charged forth, he noticed that the undead general's steps were slow and steady, but every strike upon him did not effect him much, other than stagger him back upon having received enough blows to bring a man down to his knees.

Eventually, Ieyasu ended the fallen general's life with a uppercut, that seperated head from body, as no blood gushed forth, and the head fell to the ground, before the light faded from its eyes, and the body fell, before both parts evaporated into blue flames, as the body left behind a blue round soul that floated around.

"I can't believe this... The lord here would go so far to bring his men back from the dead over and over again for his own whims?" Gus spoke in shock of what he saw. "This... This is cruelty beyond human standards!"

"It seems that we have no choice but to bring an eternal end to their lives. It is far better than being trapped in a endless painful cycle of rebirth." Richard spoke in a solemn tone. "Are you sure that you can handle having to end lives of soldiers with those hands, my lord?"

"I... I cannot turn away from this." Ieyasu replied, as he clenched his fist, as he regained some of his determination to fight on. "If these wandering souls are lost within the limbo of this earth, then let my light guide them to a restful slumber, as they should."

"A soul... It seems that it is left to us to rid of this vengeful spirit." Reimu said, as she approached the soul slowly. "Allow me to cleanse it, and return it to where it belongs."

She then pulled out her gohei, as she used her own magic to slowly purify and bless the soul, as the blue ghastly aura faded from the soul, leaving a white and clean soul, as it slowly faded from the earth.

"You may now rest in peace..." Reimu respectfully dismissed the spirit, as it shed its mortal coils, to return to where it was born.

As the Tokugawa army continued forth, they immediately reached a camp, where they saw the corpses of various soldiers under the lord's banner, strewn across the floor, as there were purple urns near them, stowed on a stone pedestal.

"This is not the way... To sacrifice men like this... I cannot allow such a person to roam free on these lands..." Ieyasu solemnly whispered, pitying the fates of the dead.

Suddenly, the purple urns suddenly sprayed red mist onto the area, as it reeked of corruption and darkness, as mist slowly entered through the orifices of the fallen soldiers, as they rose up, their eyes entirely black from reanimation, as they staggered up, and pointed their swords at the Tokugawa army.

"The smoke shall guide you below, and its scent shall finish my foe..." The gravelly voice returned, ringing across the mountain range.

"The... The men are being resurrected!?" A Tokugawa soldier cried in fear. "Monster! MONSTERS!"

"I can hear it... and feel it..." One of the enemy generals spoke in a shallow and weak tone. "That forbidden darkness, calling us back..."

"I guess that those urns are causing the dead to rise again. As long as it stands, we cannot hope to defeat them permanently." Sanae said. "We need to destroy them, now!"

"Already on it..." Gus replied back, as he immediately charged forth, avoiding the attacks of the enemies, as he cut down the urns one by one, until there was none, and the red mist subsided with a lack of a source to produce it.

"The spirits are returning to the netherworld..." The enigmatic voice hissed.

"Where am I...? What am I doing here?" The enemy general, no longer being controlled by the darkness, asked himself.

As Ieyasu took the camp away from the enemy, he immediately took down the enemy general, who gave him a thankful look, as the light faded from his eyes, and his soul came out, before being purified by Sanae.

They continued forward, before they saw a large gate, that was sealed by a dark energy.

"This gate to the beyond hungers for the dead..." The voice demanded.

"Tch... So in order to break this curse, we have to claim the lives of more?" Richard cursed under his breath.

Reimu seemed to be silent, as her eyes are filled with silent rage.

Gus noticed Reimu, as he looked at her. "Akashi? You alright?" He asked her.

"...Fuck this." Reimu mumbled in anger.

"Akashi?" Ieyasu asked, as he heard her curse. "I understand your pain. I swear that we will find a way to end this for the fallen-"

"I SAID FUCK THIS!" Reimu roared, as her rage finally erupted from within. "Sure, I may be a bit selfish and greedy at times, and I've turned a blind eye to many things that would be considered evil and unjust, BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKING WAY I'M TOLERATING THIS UNDEAD CRAP ANY LONGER!"

Reimu stomped towards the gate, as she radiated pure hatred so hard, the air around her turned both hot and cold in different places.

"Lady Akashi, surely you don't-" One of the Tokugawa generals was about to say.

"YOU WANT TO TOY WITH US ANY LONGER!?" Reimu yelled in rage, before she then lifted a foot up, as it radiated with far more magic than what would be considered normal, even for a typical shrine maiden. "I'M DONE WITH YOUR SHIT! HEAR ME!? DONE!"

She booted the door with such force, that the gate doors were blown off the hinges, even with the dark magic sealing it, as the metal slabs immediately slid down the hill.

Reimu seemed to be breathing heavily, as she was struggling to calm herself down, as the Tokugawa soldiers and generals paled at how Reimu literally tore the gate down with a single kick.

"It seems that the way forward is clear, thanks to our friend, Akashi." Richard said. "Let us move forward. We will end this once and for all."

Ieyasu and his forces immediately rose up the staircase that would lead them to where the voice was coming from, as they found themselves on a round island, where they saw a batch of corpses belonging to the officers and generals of the enemy army lying on the ground.

As they continued forward, they heard something land on one of the poles in front of them, as they saw a pale and elderly man, that was dressed in dark purple monk robes, as various kanji for evil things like rage, death, and sorrow were etched on it in black. He wore sandals on his feet, as his shins were wrapped in black ribbons, and he held a ninjato in his right hand, and his sagged face had a black bandana, that crossed over his right eye, as his grey hair was short and stroked.

As the man rose his hands, blue spirits appeared near the corpses, as they floated closer and closer to the corpses.

"In death, no tree shall bear fruit..." He spoke in a grim tone. "No flowers bloom in the garden of the netherworld."

The spirits entered the corpses one by one, as the ground below them flashed blue, before the corpses reanimated themselves, to serve their purpose in battling until they die again.

"Rise to right the turns of fortune. Rise to shed the wrongs of sin." The man spoke, as his voice rose in volume. "Rise to live your life again. Embrace the life that wakes within. You have been reborn once more, a second chance to settle your score."

 _Harumasa Nanbu ~ Soulless One_

"It seems that you have arrived earlier than I expected." Harumasa stated, his face never changing from the scowl he had. "Which one of you will join the ranks of the netherworld."

Ieyasu was about to step forth to fight, only for Reimu to come out.

"I will." Akashi answered back in a steely tone. "As a shrine maiden who serves the gods within the heavens, I will NEVER forgive you for defiling the souls of the dead with your forbidden arts!"

"So you are unafraid of death then?" Harumasa said, as he waved a hand. "Then let us see if you are truly capable to warding off the cold grips of death itself."

The reanimated generals rushed to attack Reimu, as they swung their weapons to cut her down, only for Reimu to demolish them one-by-one, as she weaved between their blows, and took them down with well-placed strikes with her arms and legs, as she immediately used her amulets to purify the souls when they appear.

"You call this death?" Akashi mocked back. "I have faced the shinigami before, and I have defeated one such being. For me, death is nothing more than something that I respect, but something that can never take me until its touch comes to me naturally."

She then brandished out her gohei, pointing it at Harumasa.

"If you are unafraid of challenging the gods, then I dare you, come at me, and face your just punishment!" Reimu replied. "For I am Akashi Hakurei, the shrine maiden of the gods!"

 _Akashi Hakurei ~ Shrine Maiden of Paradise_

Harumasa immediately fired off a ball of blue spirit-fire, as it flew towards Reimu, as the shrine maiden immediately kicked it away with a round-house kick, back at Harumasa, stunning the necromancer for a moment, long enough for her to charge forth and attack Harumasa with many strikes from her gohei.

"Please, you're going to have to try better than that!" Akashi taunted.

Harumasa did not reply, as he summoned several dead spirits, as they surged forth towards Reimu, in order to burn her with their own life and soul, as Reimu leapt around the area, as she deftly avoided each and every spirit aimed at her, before she immediately threw a few of her own sealing needles at Harumasa, as they struck his other arm, preventing him from being able to use his undead powers for a while.

As she moved forward, she used her own leg, to kick away Harumasa's other arm, which was holding the ninjato, as he tried to slice her with it, as she immediately slammed her hand on the ground, as yellow energy formed a border around her, pushing Harumasa into the air, before she then slammed down a downwards kick onto him, sending him onto the ground.

"How is this... possible?" Harumasa groaned, as he got up, as he summoned several spirits, that instead went for the downed bodies of the generals, only to be annihilated by Reimu's amulets.

"Don't think of trying that trick on me again." Reimu said in a ice-cold tone. "You're through forcing the spirits of the netherworld to follow your selfish whims."

She then brought out one of her Spell Cards.

"And now, it's time you get your just desserts for your crimes against the heavens!" Reimu declared. "DECLARE SPELL CARD! Spirit Sign: "Fantasy Seal"!"

The large red, blue and green orbs of energy that consisted of the spell-card appeared, as they swirled around Reimu, before they moved forth with great speed, as they slammed into Harumasa one by one, as he was being slowly destroyed by each attack, before he fell to his knees in defeat when the assualt on him has ended.

"How... can this... be?" Harumasa questioned, before he fell to the ground, barely breathing and alive.

"People like you, don't deserve to be spared from death." Akashi replied to his question. "But I fight for the sake of peace, like my Lord. Consider being forced to watch as life goes on, to be your fair punishment."

Reimu then turned around, passing by Ieyasu.

"I am done with him, my lord. Whatever you have planned for him, I will have no part in it." She told Ieyasu.

"I see. I will find a way to give him a fair punishment for these... actions." Ieyasu replied.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, somewhere else..._

Mitsunari looked at the dark skies, as he has just recently defeated the Shimazu army in battle.

"Ieyasu..." Mitsunari growled. "I swear one day, I shall kill you, in the name of Lord Hideyoshi..."

When he noticed footsteps behind him, he immediately unsheathed his sword, and pointed it at the intruder.

However, when he saw who it was, he immediately sheathed it.

"Ah, so it is you." Mitsunari said. "What matters do you have to speak with me? I do not have time to waste with you."

The person in question, was a young man, not much older than the likes of Richard and Gus, with short black hair, that had bangs spreading outwards on either side of his head, with a slightly more bulkier figure than someone of his age and stature. He was clad in black steel Chinese Armour, complete with dragon shoulder-guards, and on his back was a large Chinese dao, with the blade's edge covered with a grey aura, and the hilt of the blade having silver diamonds along the long end.

"Now, now, Mitsunari." The man smiled, speaking in a polite tone. "I am only just checking how my dear lord is doing."

"You would do well to ask no more about it." Mitsunari hissed. "Leave."

"As you wish." The man bowed, before turning away to leave, as he looked at the skies.

"Ah... How the world looks so beautiful..." He spoke in a dreamy tone, before he smiled evilly. "Shame it will be long until the chaos end."


	7. Chapter 6: Mogami

Chapter 6: Assault on Hasedo Castle (Mogami)

* * *

 _In the Tokugawa main camp..._

Richard was watching as his friend, Gus, whittled his katana's edge using several whetstones, as his friend did it precisely and professionally, as he ensured that the blade was tilted enough for the blade to be sharpened in the best manner possible.

"Not bad, Munemori." Richard complimented his friend's work. "You're really giving it your all this time, eh?"

"Naturally." Munemori replied. "You forget that I have worked as a blacksmith before."

"I see..." Richard nodded.

Reimu and Sanae were chatting with Tsurihime, as they discussed about the poor state of the land, and how their own personal faiths have been spreading across it.

Ieyasu, as the army's leader, was left having to deal with news again from a messenger, as he could only sigh.

"So, dire news regarding Mitsunari's own conquest has come again?" Ieyasu bemoaned. "Tell me, what do you bring?"

"Lord Ieyasu... It concerns Motochika." The messenger humbly replied back. "Well, you see..."

"Motochika, you say?" Ieyasu questioned, as his mood lightened at the mention of the name, and smiled. "Ah, but I do miss him. How has he fared since we last met? What news do you bring then about him?"

"He has allied with Mitsunari's forces, my Lord." The messenger regretfully answered the question, bowing in apology. "His declaration of war against us is now but a formality."

Ieyasu's mood immediately crashed down upon word of the betrayal, as his smile fell into a gape.

"He's done what...!?" Ieyasu gasped. "Are you absolutely sure of this?"

"Sadly, yes. Motochika is a friend to us all. His betrayal looms heavily over the entire camp." The messenger confirmed the news.

"Motochika... How has it come to this?" Ieyasu asked himself in shock and disbelief, before he then shook his head. "No, this should come as no surprise. It's simple, really. Motochika have behaved exactly as one might expect of him."

"Uh, how exactly is that, my Lord?" The messenger asked, confused at Ieyasu's words.

"Once Mitsunari sets his sights upon something, there's no changing his mind. He plods ahead, with no thought of finesse or compromise. He's a fool reaching for the moon." Ieyasu explained. "For all his wrath, Mitsunari is a man burdened with a wounded heart, for what I have done to him. And my friend Motochika is possessed of a generous soul. His sympathies veer towards those who suffer, be they man or demon. Our foe is in good hands."

"Then... this setback shouldn't concern you and your men?" The messenger asked.

"No." Ieyasu shook his head. "For all my jesting, this is a grave development. But perhaps this rare moment of laughter will serve us in good stead. Just be glad I didn't start laughing in front of my men...! You may leave now, dear messenger."

"Thankfully, yes... My lord." The messenger responded back, before leaving Ieyasu to be on his own.

Ieyasu then immediately took out a letter that he has received not long ago, a letter from the Mogami, requesting a alliance, as he read it slowly.

"Yoshiaki Mogami? I know him well." Ieyasu mumbled. "He intends to join the Eastern Army, or so his letter said. I'd say we owe him a visit."

Ieyasu then rolled up the letter, and placed it on his table in his tent.

* * *

 _At Hasedo Castle..._

The Tokugawa army has mobilised once more, as they are here to meet Yoshiaki Mogami, the head of the Mogami Clan.

The area was quite beautiful and tranquil, as there was green everywhere, even on the small stone mountains that surround the region, as there were trees everywhere having leaves of the same colour. The area contained a large river, that flowed in many branches and loops, as they formed several islands in the area.

They were accompanied by a Tokugawa steamboat, that was travelling across the river, as the captain of the vessel stood at the helm.

"We shall take the river and attack their headquarters from behind!" The captain roared, as the ship moved forward. "My Lord, I ask that you protect us from any enemy attacks that may come!"

"All right, then I shall protect you." Ieyasu answered back.

As Ieyasu moved forth, he noticed that there was a artillery camp owned by the Mogami, that was in the boat's path.

"This isn't good... My men lack any means of defence against cannon fire in the waters." Ieyasu spoke. "We need to take the camps as quickly as possible, before they can fire upon the reinforcement ship."

"Got that. I'll take care of them." Richard noted, as he charged forth, and cut down the commander and his escort quickly, taking the camp before the boat was even close enough to reach its range.

They soon moved forward, as they found themselves on a two-way fork, one of them moving forward, with the water gate camps in the path, and the other with the extra artillery camps that would be in the river's detour.

"Hm... I can see how clever Mogami would be to do such a thing." Gus noted. "If we don't take the water gates down before the boat reaches them, they will be forced to take the longer path, where more cannon batteries would be placed, in order to weaken the ship further... even sink it."

"Then we will need to split up to fight." Sanae suggested. "My lord, you should take Musashi with you, to take the gates, while the rest of us will take out the artillery camps, in case you are unable to stop the boat from reaching the closed gates."

"Very well." Ieyasu replied. "Then I agree with your plan, Rikiya. Men, divide amongst yourselves, and help both forces reach their targets."

"YESSIR!" The Tokugawa soldiers cried, as they followed after the officers, fighting off the enemies to allow their generals to move on without much resistance.

Richard immediately reached one of the water gate camps, as he immediately started taking out the men there.

"My Lord, continue on, and take the other water gate. I will ensure that the gates will remain open." Richard called out to Ieyasu.

Ieyasu nodded in response, as he continued forward, and immediately started attacking the other water gate camp, which had a gate that was barring the path towards where Yoshiaki is.

As the bulk of the enemy defence force came at him, he crossed his arms, as golden energy began to pulse around his body, and on the ground, the Tokugawa symbol appeared on the floor like a incantation circle, before he then unleashed it by raising his fists to the sky, as the symbol spew forth golden light that sent the enemies flying into the air, including the water gate chief.

The water gate was being raised by a allied engineer, as he saw that the other water gate was opening at the same time, indicating Richard's success in occupying it.

The boat soon passed through them both, as arrowheads and bows began to poke out of the windows of the boat, as the bowman inside the ship, fired off at the gate guards that were behind the gate, killing several of their men, as the terrified soldiers immediately opened the gates, and fled towards Ieyasu, who knocked them out without much problem.

As Richard regrouped with Ieyasu, so did the other members, as Sanae was wiping the sweat off her brow, and Gus was waving his blade around, as if he was anticipating an ambush.

"Whew... It's all done, Lord Ieyasu." Sanae sighed. "I'm sure that the boat will be smooth sailing towards the enemy main camp."

"I'm happy to see that you are not harmed, my friends." Ieyasu smiled. "Let us move forth."

They immediately moved forth, as the Mogami forces were no match for the combined power of the officers and generals, who steam-rolled through their remaining camps without much trouble.

The boat soon reaches its destination, before it opens its frontal hatch, and sets a bridge, for the reinforcement squads to come out and attack the enemy.

"The ship is docked! Everyone! Prepare to raid the enemy headquarters!" The captain cried, as he ordered his men forth. "Thank our lord for being so generous to let us arrive with nary a scratch!"

As the officers reached the Mogami main camp, passing through the 'impenetrable Ultra Tight Mogami Gate', they immediately saw the enemy commander, who was dressed like nobility with a cyan coat, and a white bow on his neck, as well as a general helmet with golden prongs, and he was a slim and tall man, with a weasel's face, and a zigzag moustache, wielding a long bladed rapier with the handle of a blue baton.

"There are none in this world, that compare to me." The enemy general spoke in a haughty tone, before he then slithered around on his legs. "The renowned! The feared! Lord Yoshiaki!"

He then tilted side to side, pointing his weapon as Ieyasu, before he then adjusted his white bow."And let me tell you something." Yoshiaki added, before he then waved his hands, as he summoned a tea-cup in his other hand with a wink. "You should consider yourself lucky for finding me in such a good mood!"

He then slowly drank his cup of tea, without looking at his opponents.

 _Yoshiaki Mogami ~ Ever the Weasel_

Ieyasu then charged forth, as he immediately attacked Yoshiaki, who immediately used his weapon to block each fist well.

"Now, now, Ieyasu!" Yoshiaki spoke to Ieyasu in a condescending manner. "I have something for you, my friend! A small token of my esteem! I do hope it pleases!"

"Well then, what might that be?" Ieyasu asked, as he kept on fighting Yoshiaki, as he tried various different strikes to try and break Yoshiaki's defensive stance.

"A prize for the whole of the Eastern Army!" Yoshiaki replied, before he then chuckled whimsically.

"Oh boy... I have known this man long enough to brace for the devilry that lurks behind that smile." Ieyasu sighed.

"Rest assured, between my gift and myself, we shall bring the Dark King to his knees!" Yoshiaki gleefully continued. "Now then, Ieyasu, why don't you cool down with some nice little gusts?"

Yoshiaki then immediately raised his rapier, as Ieyasu immediately dodged back, to avoid the small tornado that Yoshiaki created, before he then dashed back to slam a fist under Yoshiaki's chin, sending him into the air, in which Ieyasu continued his attack with a quick jab and cross, before then throwing a haymaker that sent Yoshiaki onto the ground.

The military noble then stood up, before he then grabbed his rapier, and stomped at the ground.

"Now that is just too far, Ieyasu!" Yoshiaki cried in a hurt tone. "I think you should pay for that!"

He then summoned a massive tornado around himself, that slowly sucked the Tokugawa soldiers into it, as they were being thrown all over the place.

"Sorry, Yoshiaki, but you did ask for me to show you my full might!" Ieyasu rebutted, as he immediately charged up his fist, and did a shining straight punch into Yoshiaki's abdomen, causing the noble to gasp in pain, as he was sent onto the wall, landing on the ground with a thud. "Are you satisfied now?"

Yoshiaki remained silent, as he slowly recovered from the attack, before he then jumped back up, landing on his feet gracefully, as he twirled his head, as if the fight was some sort of warm-up.

"No less than what I expected!" Yoshiaki replied. "You and your mighty fists, and my baton, where would we be without it?"

He then immediately posed with his weapon forward,

"You best mind your head, Dark King!" Yoshiaki mocked, before he then twirled his rapier like he was mixing something with it. "Soon, I'll send you spiralling into the netherworld."

"Yoshiaki, I intend to let Mitsunari keep his head." Ieyasu replied stoically.

Yoshiaki then gaped in shock, before he then stumbled towards Ieyasu. "What nonsense is that?" Yoshiaki asked, unhappy about Ieyasu's decision. "You want to win the battle or don't you?"

"Yes, and I will." Ieyasu answered back, turning to Yoshiaki.

"Well, if that's the case." Yoshiaki responded, before he then threw his arms down in annoyance. "Then you have to be realistic about it."

Ieyasu then darkly chuckled. "Realistic...?" Ieyasu questioned, before his expression changed into one befitting of a general of many battles. "Look at me. Do I seem to look delusional?"

Yoshiaki was frightened by the sudden change of Ieyasu's expression, as he staggered back. "No... Uh..." Yoshiaki answered back, a little lost on what to say. "A poor reflection. You're the very picture of clarity. And that said... I shall take my leave of you."

Yoshiaki then turned to leave, as Ieyasu watched as the Mogami banners were being replaced by that of the Tokugawa, as Richard came towards him.

"...As much as I hate to admit something that would anger you..." Richard spoke in a serious tone. "Yoshiaki does have a point. Mitsunari's hatred towards you is nearly boundless. If you let him live, he will only stand to cause more suffering in his endless quest for vengeance."

Ieyasu looked at Richard, before he then bowed his head in sorrow.

"And I understand that..." Ieyasu quietly answered back.


	8. Chapter 7: Date

Chapter 7: Wind vs Dragon (Date)

* * *

 _In the Tokugawa main camp..._

Ieyasu was left pondering about his own ideals, being silent and still, as the words of both Yoshiaki and Richard has planted several seeds of doubts in his heart, regarding whether he could truly afford to spare Mitsunari death.

"Is the only way that the endless cycle of vengeance, that harms the people of the lands, can be ended, is to kill Mitsunari?" Ieyasu asked himself. "I can understand his suffering, and I did not wish to leave him such a state. But if I leave him alive, who knows what could happen..."

One of the generals soon enters the tent, as he gives his lord a respectful bow with his hands clasped.

"Lord Ieyasu! The Maeda Clan has offered to ally itself with us." The general announced. "However, something about it doesn't seem quite right... You should see the head himself."

Ieyasu immediately got up, before he went outside, where he saw his visitor, which was a wild man with dark brown spiked hair, as his clothes consisted of a animal fur coat, and fur shorts, as well as a long furry loincloth that hangs from the front of his shorts, and his ankles are covered by metal rings, and his arms are covered by bandage gauntlets, as his weapon was a long trident-like spear.

"Your motives elude me, Ieyasu. I do not know whether you pursue war for your own reasons of peace." The man spoke, pointing at Ieyasu, and using a very heated tone. "But I will surrender to you, your intentions be damned! But hear this, Ieyasu! I will never forget what you have done!"

"Why does Toshiie speak of surrender?" Ieyasu asked, surprised by all of this. "And what act of mine has him outraged?"

"Yoshitsugu courted the Maeda Clan not so long ago, though nothing came of the offer." The general answered the question. "Their joining of the Eastern Army is proof of this."

"I see..." Ieyasu said, as he watched Toshiie stomp off angrily, after declaring what he had to say. "And the preparations?"

"They are ready, my Lord!" The general exclaimed. "Let us seal the alliance with the One-Eyed Dragon."

"We never would have trekked this far for a lesser man." Ieyasu stated. "The One-Eyed Dragon is a rare creature, and he will play a pivotal role in our victory against Mitsunari. Had he two eyes, he'd win the war himself!"

"He would have, my Lord. That is why he would be a powerful ally indeed." The general answered back.

"Then we march for Oshu, for we will unite the East, for our decisive battle against Mitsunari's armies!" Ieyasu declared.

* * *

 _In the plains of Oshu..._

Ieyasu and the others found themselves in a large valley, where the path was flat and wide, as if it would have been a racecourse onto itself, as the Date Forces are in front of them, preparing to attack the intruders.

As they moved forward, they found the general, Masamune Date, who was a ambitious and young man, with short brown hair that was almost covered by his own helmet, which bore a long yellow crescent pointing to the ground on the middle of his forehead, and he was clad in steel armour made of linked steel plates. The armour was covered by his long blue coat and cape, his black gauntlets had the golden body of dragons flowing across the length, and his six swords were placed in webbed holsters on either side of his body.

Masamune was sitting on his own horse, the White Cloud, a horse that had a golden mount with red ribbons, and its body was almost pure white, exactly like how a cloud would look.

"Speak, One-Eyed Dragon! I, Ieyasu Tokugawa, have travelled far to hear your words!" Ieyasu cried out to Masamune.

"You sure took your time! Must have ridden here on the back of a turtle." Masamune smirked, turning to Ieyasu. "Take one of the stable's horses. I would like to see what you got, great unifier of the East."

Masamune's men immediately escorted another horse to Ieyasu,that had the same colour as Masamune's White Cloud, except the mount was more common and made of leather instead of velvet like Masamune's.

"Don't cry to me if you lose. This horse isn't any slower or less better than my own." Masamune said. "If you can't beat me, then that means you ain't got what it takes to ride a horse."

"That so... Then I accept your challenge." Ieyasu replied back, as he immediately hopped onto the horse, as Sanae stepped forward. "What are you doing, Rikiya?"

"So you're planning to race then? Mind if I join in?" Sanae asked, as he placed the staff on her back. "It counts as our win, if either of us beats you to where you place the goal?"

"Of course, if you can catch up that is." Masamune spoke in a condescending tone. "What, you think you can be faster than my own horse, on foot? You must be really crazy to try that, but I admire your guts."

"You'll see..." Sanae smiled back. "Let's begin this."

"Hey, Ieyasu, you've got quite the joker here. I'd like to see what a woman like her can do in a race between horses." Masamune spoke to Ieyasu. "You better not let her distract you, I want to see you put all you got into this race and fight, you hear?"

"I will, and I shall prove my might." Ieyasu simply answered back.

"Then, COME ON!" Masamune shouted, as he immediately kicked his horse into motion, as Ieyasu did the same, in order to chase after Masamune, while Sanae immediately jumped up, and flew forward using her magic, as the soldiers of both forces were stunned.

"What. What did I just see?" A Date soldier asked in shock.

"She... SHE CAN FLY!?" One of the Tokugawa soldiers screamed. "After everything else that she can do?"

While the soldiers were trying to make sense of what they saw, Richard seemed to be smiling.

 _'Attagirl, Sanae. Show them what you got!_ ' Richard cheered Sanae on, in his mind.

As Ieyasu and Masamune sped past many bends in the first leg of the racing valley, Masamune held the lead, but Ieyasu was very close towards him, as they raced through the area closely packed.

"Let's cut to the chase, Ieyasu." Masamune said, as he kept his eyes on the road in front. "You'll have my help, but on one condition. And if you try to haggle with me, I'll lay you out. What do you say?"

"I'll grant it. What is it then?" Ieyasu accepted the condition.

"I'll tell you, if you make it to the end, and prove yourself worthy of my allegiance." Masamune answered back. "Now, come on! Pick up the pace, will you?"

They kept on moving, before they noticed something fast approaching behind him, as it was Sanae flying just a few feet above the ground, and gaining the lead slowly.

"What in the-!?" Masamune stuttered. "How did you manage to catch up to us!?"

"I did forget to tell you one detail, Lord Masamune, and that detail is that I'm a shrine maiden. Not just any plain one, but the one who holds to the faith of the Moriya gods!" Sanae replied back, with a sly grin. "The Moriya Gods are of the nature, and as their shrine maiden, they have bestowed me the power to shape nature by wind, and so with the power of wind, I take flight to catch up to you!"

"So that is why you can create those tornados and gusts." Ieyasu replied. "You were channeling the power of your gods through yourself."

"Bingo! Got it in one, my Lord!" Sanae replied back.

She then moved up on one of the hills, as she immediately takes out one of the abandoned neutral camps on the track, as the moment her fist strikes the drum, the energy pulse appears, and the Tokugawa forces appear to claim it for themselves.

"Tch..." Masamune cursed under his breath, as Sanae immediately jumped off, before she then floated down.

"Leave the camps to me, Lord Ieyasu! Just win the race for me, will you?" Sanae asked.

Ieyasu nodded, as the three of them crossed a bridge to the next leg of the race, which took them across muddy terrain, with a path above the ground, that had several gaps, and a unclaimed camp at the end.

Sanae immediately aimed for the camp, as she hopped from one platform to the other, as Ieyasu and Masamune were still stuck within the mud, as they were slowed down drastically from the uneven terrain.

As soon the two horse-riders broke through the mud, Sanae fell from above, in front of them, as the camp was waving the Tokugawa flag.

"No! This isn't happening!" Masamune cried in anger.

"Oh, it's happening alright!" Sanae retorted back, with a smug grin, as she sped up slightly to keep her lead.

As they sped through, Masamune immediately whipped his horse into full power, as the horse's sprint broke into a even faster one, as the wind broke and roared around him.

"If you think I'm going to lose here of all times, you better think again!" Masamune roared.

He was closing onto Sanae, as Ieyasu was left in the dust, as his horse was unable to catch up, due to his lack of horsemanship skills.

The two of them sped past the bridge, as they entered a long cave, before then running up a spirally pathway to the final neutral camp, as they were neck-to-neck.

The two of them reached out their weapons, as they aimed for the drum, in order to take it for their own forces, before the weapons struck at almost the same time, as the golden pulse burst forth from the camp.

As it subsided, the camp was waving the Tokugawa banners, as Sanae was quite thrilled by that fact.

"Ha! Looks like the Lightning Dragon just got out-sped by the Wind! Ain't that irony, eh?" Sanae shouted.

"That round was alright..." Masamune replied. "But, to be outsped by some shrine maiden... Oh, this is really staining my glory..."

He then kept on running down the bridge in the camp.

"Hey! Get back here! We got things to discuss!" Sanae cried at the fleeing warrior.

"Lord Masamune, please wait at the headquarters for news of our victory!" A voice was heard, from someone who appeared above Sanae.

She immediately dodged to the side, as a sword engulfed by lightning pierced the ground where she stood, and wielding it was a tall and strong man with sort brown hair that was slicked to the back of his head, and he wore a brown coat, with white jean-like leggings, and steel breastplate armour under his coat. He also wore green military boots, and his hands were covered by green gauntlets, with his weapon in both of his hands.

"So I have failed to surprise you, shrine maiden." The man spoke, as he looked at Sanae, and the approaching Ieyasu. "Upon my lord's fate, I once thought to gouge out my own right eye. But such a act would not change anything. Therefore I made a vow. For my sins, I would protect him!"

He then pulled the blade out of the ground, as he circled it around. "And as his right eye, avenge the injustices of that day!" He declared, as he crossed the blade over his own face in a samurai stance.

 _Kojuro Katakura ~ Doing Work_

As Ieyasu jumped off to dismount off his horse. "Are you telling me you would serve him, no matter what?" Ieyasu asked.

"Verily so!" Kojuro replied back with determination, as he swung his blade at Sanae, who dodged each blow by shifting her body away from the edge of the blade.

"Man, you're devoted! That's something I like about the right kind of people like you!" Sanae exclaimed, before she fired off a small gust to blow Kojuro away from her, and towards Ieyasu, who has readied himself for battle.

Ieyasu immediately attacked Kojuro with a combo of strikes, leaving no room for Kojuro to mount a counterattack, until he fell to the ground, before then jumping back up, and moving back to avoid Ieyasu's fist from slamming down on him while he was still down.

Kojuro then immediately attacked Ieyasu with a series of slashes, as Ieyasu adopted a boxing guard stance, as the blade smashed against his gauntlets, slowly damaging his guard, until Kojuro did a mighty upwards slash that broke his guard, and left him open for Kojuro to thrust his blade through his chest!

"Oh no you don't!" Sanae shouted, as she immediately fired off a few orbs, that hit Kojuro, and forced him to block her attacks.

As Ieyasu regained his composure, he immediately stood his ground, before he then raised his hand.

"Tadakatsu!" He cried, as the gigantic and robotic general immediately dropped his drill spear into Ieyasu's hand, flying past the battlefield at a fast speed.

Catching the spear, he then arched back, charging his force into it, before he threw it like a javelin at Kojuro, as it hit him, and the resulting cyclone from the spear hitting the ground, tore into him further.

As soon as Kojuro managed to land down, he immediately placed his fingers over his mouth, whistling and summoning one of the Date's horses, before then running off.

"My Lord! We must not let the One-Eyed Dragon unite with his Right Eye!" The camp commander yelled out to his superior.

"Indeed, we must give chase immediately!" Ieyasu answered back, as he returned to his horse, and followed after Kojuro,with Sanae following him.

As the two of them leapt off the edge of the platform, they found themselves back onto the course, as Kojuro was in front of them, escorted by several Date cavalry units.

"Let me take care of the small fry! You go for Kojuro first!" Sanae said, as she took the staff, and readied it for battle.

She immediately charged her staff, as she fired off green blasts that shook the enemy cavalry, before they were knocked off their horses, and left in the dust of the three runners.

Ieyasu, having moved his horse near Kojuro, immediately used his fists to fight, as the latter used his blade to block as much of the blows as he could, only for his defence to be weakened greatly on horseback.

As soon as Sanae finished off the escorting horsemen, she immediately aimed for Kojuro, before she then let the energy in her staff flow.

Ieyasu managed to weaken both Kojuro and his horse greatly, as the horse was slowing down greatly from the fatigue and the bruises inflicted onto it.

"Dominance can be a intoxicating source of poisonous conceit..." Kojuro muttered, as he kept fighting off Ieyasu. "How can you prove that it is not your pride that you conquer for, Ieyasu?"

"Because you have seen the bonds that I have forged with my officers and men." Ieyasu responded back. "We have worked together to bring the land together, and we have cared for each other. Can you deny the truth of those bonds?"

Kojuro remained silent, before he then felt his world turn upside down in a instant, and his head slammed against the ground, as Sanae has managed to place strong winds under Kojuro, flipping him over with little ease, as Kojuro was left lying on the ground, as Sanae and Ieyasu sped past him.

"After having gone through so much... I suppose it was beginning to get a little... tedious..." Kojuro breathed, before he fainted.

The two of them arrive at the headquarters of the Date clan, which was a octagonal arena, that was overseen by twin stone dragon statues that spewed fog from their mouth, and Masamune was standing in the middle of the arena, with his arms crossed.

"You think you can defeat me?" Masamune asked. "Heh, I wouldn't be too sure about that."

He then raised an arm over his chest. "I guess you better try and take your best shot. Because if you don't..."

He then unsheathed a long cleaver, which was sparking with lightning.

"You're going to be sorry, got that?" Masamune challenged Sanae and Ieyasu.

 _Masamune Date ~ Ready To Party_

"You bet!" Sanae cried, before she then whirled her staff with one of her hands, before she slammed it on the ground. "You better not underestimate me, just because I'm a shrine maiden, because I'm going to be one of the people who can blow the armies with a single sweep! Prepare to face the shrine maiden of the Moriya gods!"

 _Rikiya Moriya ~ Wind Maker_

"Now that you have arrived, Ieyasu..." Masamune told Ieyasu, as he readied his weapon. "I will name my condition: I won't be ordered around, not by you, and not by anybody. We're equals, simple as that. This little tussle we're about to have will more than prove my point."

As Ieyasu charged from one side, and Sanae from another, Masamune used one of his six blades, and the cleaver in his hand, to block both attacks.

"Very well, I accept your condition, and acknowledge your independence." Ieyasu replied. "But why do you wish to ally with me?"

"To see Mitsunari defeated, do you even have to ask?" Masamune scoffed, as he blocked Ieyasu's strike with the blunt end of the blade. "That fateful day is seared into the back of my eye. If I can't set things right, well...why bother living?"

He then flung Sanae off with a well-timed parry, as he began striking at Ieyasu with over-head swings.

"I will be the one to bring down Mitsunari! To slice him to ribbons!" Masamune shouted out his resolve, accented with each strike. "Anything else is a petty distraction!"

"I cannot allow that, because I will be one to defeat him!" Ieyasu cried, as he slammed Masamune back with a hook. "May my fists unite all!"

He then cracked his knuckles, as a golden saintly aura appeared around his body, before he then threw hooks with each of his arms, before then pushing Masamune forward with a running lariat, before he then did a three-hit combo, ending with a uppercut that send Masamune into the air, before then hitting him down and up quickly, and throwing a flurry of fists to the aerial Masamune, before he then did a second uppercut, and then ended with a powerful straight, that created a shockwave that send Masamune onto the other side of the arena.

"One day, we will be one!" Ieyasu cried, as the golden aura around him faded away.

Masamune stood up, before he then unsheathed all six of his blades, before dashing at Ieyasu. "I'm not done yet!" He shouted with a bold tone.

Ieyasu immediately dashed forth, before he then threw a fist, that collided with the grip of the swords in Masamune's right hand, as they were knocked away, sending Masamune into a short spin, as the swords sunk into the ground one by one from the air, as Ieyasu then sighed, as he turned around.

"That was close..." Ieyasu stated in relief.

Masamune remained silent, before he then sheathed the remaining blades back into their webbed holsters. "Well, guess that will have to do." He sighed.

"One-Eyed Dragon, it would be an honour to fight by your side." Ieyasu spoke in gratitude. "We could use someone like you."

"Spare me the flattery." Masamune answered back. "You beat me fairly. Well, until next time."

Masamune turned around to retrieve his swords, before he heard Ieyasu speak, "One-Eyed Dragon, would you forgive Mitsunari for his deeds?"

He turned his head to Ieyasu. "Forgive? Dunno." Masamune casually responded back.

"I see... Just remember such an indulgence is within your power..." Ieyasu sighed, disappointed by the answer.

"Hmph. Guess that could be." Masamune replied back, before he swiped a hand to take the blades out of the ground. "Guess we will have to see how I'm feeling, when the bastard's nearly vanquished at my feet..."

"Yes..." Ieyasu hummed. "One of us will lose.. and perish... And I will make sure it is not me."

He then raised a fist to the sky, as the sunlight danced upon the golden gauntlets.

"...No matter what." He finished off, with a determined expression.

Sanae could only keep silent, as he silently respected Ieyasu for finally coming in terms with his destiny to slay Mitsunari in the final battle.

* * *

 _At the Tokugawa Main camp..._

Richard was looking at the skies, as the Tokugawa generals and soldiers were preparing for what might be their final battle in the unification of Japan.

"So this is finally it, the decisive battle? If I remember correctly, the land is now finally divided in two with the final independent factions being taken care of..." Richard muttered.

"I can only fear how many lives would be laid to waste on the grounds..." Gus solemnly stated. "All those lives, to be taken away for the right to unify the land. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth..."

"I wonder if there will be a chance that we will ever make it back..." Reimu pondered. "We may be powerful, but never have we fought a true army before in a all-out battle. I fear for my own safety, and I have fought so many powerful beings in my life."

"Don't be, Akashi. We'll make it out alive, I know it." Sanae assured Reimu with a pat on the shoulder.

Suddenly the skies brightened up, before they saw that the golden sun was moving towards the west, as it passed over their heads, passing towards the purple horizon of night, as the moon came from that side, as they met where the two skies were connected, as the moon passed over the sun, as it formed a pillar of light, above the fields of Sekigahara.

"What... is this?" A general asked.

"The gods... They have seen this battle from the heavens, and they have set up the stage for battle..." Reimu replied in awe. "So this is where the West and the East will clash against each other for the rule over the entire land..."

"The hour has arrived! There's no turning back now. We all pledge life and limb to your victory, down to the last man." Another general spoke to Ieyasu.

"Lord Ieyasu! We fight with all our strength!" A soldier roared with courage.

"My men, a few words before we depart." Ieyasu boomed, as he turned to the army he has amassed over the time. "Warriors, if I have done you wrong somehow, or if conscience compels you to leave the Eastern Army for the West... I wish you all a safe journey, and prosperous times in the peace that comes."

"My Lord, what are you saying?" A general asked, shocked at what his lord was saying.

"If you do join Mitsunari's forces, please, help him as best as you can. I would be in your debt if you do so." Ieyasu continued on, as he bowed his head in apology to his soldiers, speaking with a clear tone.

"Never! Your words pain me, My Lord! There's not a man among us who'd breathe a word of complaint under your command!" The general replied back.

"You've extended your hand in brotherhood to each of us! We will die for your righteous cause, Lord Ieyasu, a smile on our faces!" Another soldier cried.

"LORD IEYASU! LORD IEYASU! LONG LIVE IEYASU TOKUGAWA, UNIFYING LORD OF THE EAST!" The army cried out in a massive chant, raising their weapons in undying loyalty to their lord.

Ieyasu teared up slightly moved by the loyalty of his men. "And I for yours. To have soldiers, friends such as you... I am the most fortunate man in all of the world. Thank you." Ieyasu replied back, wiping the tears off his eyes. "Let us march towards the light together, as we will finally let this land know peace at last!"

The men roared, as Ieyasu looked towards the dark horizon.

"I cannot risk defeat, Mitsunari...!" Ieyasu spoke, as he clenched his hands into fists. "The price is too great! Our bond will hold!"

* * *

 _On the other side of Japan, at the same time..._

Mitsunari looked towards the horizon, as he glared at the sun above, as if he thought it was Ieyasu, the object of his hatred itself.

"Ieyasu... I will peel your life from you in the cruelest way imaginable!" Mitsunari cried out to the skies.

Down behind Mitsunari, there was a short and pudgy man, with a scared and timid expression, rocking on his man-sized pot pan, and wearing red officer clothing, as well as having a large helmet shaped like the horn of the stag beetle on his head, as he was biting his thumb, while another, with pale skin, and long white hair, wearing a purple and white robe, and a steel ninja mask over his nose and mouth, and horn-like shoulderguards. He also wielded twin scythes in his hand, as they had sharp points at the tip of the poles.

"W-We'll make it... right, Tenkai?" The shorter man asked the other man. "I'm so scared... Why did I ever joined Mitsunari? He's going to kill me... I know it."

"Oh, calm down, Hideaki." Tenkai answered back in a smooth and sinister tone. "I did say I would protect you, wouldn't I?"

"B-But-!" Hideaki tried to say, before he merely fumbled on his words, and immediately turned silent.

Soon, two more approached Mitsunari, one of them, being a man sitting cross-legged on a large floating pedestral, as he had 8 large silver orbs swirling around his back in a circle, and he only wore little armour, with his chestplate armour only covering half of the intended area, as every exposed inch of skin was wrapped up in tight white bandages, as his red helmet bore a silver butterfly with six wings on the back of it, and his yellow eyes could be seen through the eye-holes of the helmet. The other was the very same young outsider that met Mitsunari before.

"Mitsunari, Nobutaka Oda wishes to have a word with you." The seated man spoke. "It seems that he has something that he would like to request."

"Name it." Mitsunari impatiently answered back. "I am in no time to be disturbed by either of you, Yoshitsugu."

"That is so. I can relish at the thought of you finally earning your revenge." Yoshitsugu answered back, before he dryly chuckled and left.

"Mitsunari, if I may. I would like to ask that you would let me take care of two people." 'Nobutaka' said, with a short and curt bow. "I would like to ask that you leave Musashi Miyamoto and Munemori Yagyu to me."

"And why exactly is that? Musashi is not a person who could be easily defeated in single combat, and yet you wish to fight him? Do you have such faith in your lineage of being under the family of the Demon King Nobunaga, that you would guarantee victory?" Mitsunari questioned back.

"Of course. I can handle it, lineage or not." 'Nobutaka' answered back.

"Hmph. Do as you please. Whether you succeed or die failing, it is none of my concern." Mitsunari coldly replied.

"As you wish, Mitsunari." The man then took his leave.

"The time has finally come! Lord Hideyoshi, in the battle to come... Please grant me the strength to do what is necessary to find victory." Mitsunari shouted in reverence. "And when the battle is over, grant me forgiveness for what I have done."

Meanwhile, the man was smiling as he left, walking past the generals of the Western Army.

"Oh, how fate brings us together, my dear friend." He spoke to himself. "To think that the time for us to finally meet would have come so soon. 'Munemori Yaygu'... 'Musashi Miyamoto'... I do wonder which one of them is the friend I seek."

He then smiled, as he unsheathed his blade, and gazed at the reflection of his face on it.

"After all... I guess only you would be smart enough to be able to know how to use that name.." He spoke in a foreboding tone. "...Richard."

He then laughed, as he slowly made his way to Sekigahara, to finally 'meet' his friend.


	9. Final Chapter: East vs West

Final Chapter: The End of a Warring Era (East vs. West)

* * *

 _At Sekigahara..._

Ieyasu, Richard, Sanae, Reimu and Gus all rushed together as a small group, as they broke through the enemy lines, towards Mitsunari's main camp, in order to defeat him and settle the war once and for all.

As Richard cut down one of the enemy generals, they found themselves in the vicinity of Mitsunari's camp, as the rocky path in front of them was filled with checkpoints and gates owned by the Western Army. All around them, they could hear the sounds of fighting, as general fought general, and faction fought faction.

"Geez... Good thing that the other lords have caught the attention of the battle to themselves for the moment." Richard sighed. "Otherwise, we would be up to our neck with enemy squads popping left and right."

"Don't forget that we need to find a way to make Hideaki defect." Gus added. "He will be more safe and better behind the lines of the Eastern Army, than the Western Army. But how can we do that?"

"I have already prepared for such a idea." Ieyasu answered back, as he pointed at the rifle captains that were following behind him. "All we need to do is find a vantage point, in order to surprise Hideaki, and remind him that the Eastern Army will remain victorious at the end."

"Then leave it to us to keep them alive until then!" Sanae shouted bravely, as she rushed forth to intercept the enemy.

The five warriors slowly fought their way through the camps, as they took the long path, which was filled with enemy sappers, and shield troops, making defending the rifle captains even harder, as enemies attacked them from all directions. However, after a tedious journey, they have made it to a camp on top of a hill overlooking where Hideaki and Tenkai were standing, as if they were waiting for their enemies to come.

They took the camp with little ease, as the final obstacle to their plan was removed, as the captains, along with their squads lined up, and took aim at Hideaki.

"Fire!" A captain ordered his men, as they fired at the ground near Hideaki, who danced around like a man on a ground of lava under his bare feet, as he squealed and screamed in fear, before he tripped and fell flat on his back, as Tenkai immediately moved back away from Hideaki to avoid shot.

"Stop shooting me!" Hideaki cried in fear, before he then got up, as he seemed to be annoyed. "Y-Y-You should be shooting Mitsunari! Got it! Mitsunari is the one we are after here!"

"Keep firing!" Another captain shouted out to his men, as they kept on shooting at Hideaki, increasing his internal fear slowly, until he couldn't take it anymore, as he immediately fled the opposite way, through the way that Ieyasu and the others entered.

"I'm so sorry, Mitsunari!" He sobbed, as he exited the battlefield, unable to put up a courageous facade of a lord any longer.

"That's one down. We will need to still fight that guy, whatever he is." Reimu replied. "Let me take care of him. I'll kick the doors open, and you keep going."

"What? Then what about you, Akashi? Are you sure that you will be fine? I cannot afford to lose a single one of you!" Ieyasu asked her.

"I'll be fine. I fought that damned Nanbu, and I came out just fine. A guy with scythes and a creepy attitude ain't going to do that much against me."

Reimu then immediately charged forward, before she then immediately kicked the gates open with a flying jump kick, and then landing on the ground, whistling at Tenkai. "Oi, ghost-face, over here!"

Tenkai, being provoked by the taunt, growled, as he lifted his scythes up, and ran at Reimu, as the others immediately passed through the gate, making their way closer to Mitsunari, as Reimu immediately moved forward, and kicked him on the scythes, knocking the pale man back.

"That wasn't very nice of you, woman." Tenkai spoke in a dangerously cold tone. "You shouldn't have tried to taunt someone who is like the harbinger of death."

"Cram it, emo-boy. Now that no-one is watching us, you're about to get your ass handed to you, Hakurei-style." Reimu replied back, as she raised her gohei.

"No one watching?" Tenkai asked before he then began to laugh, as it evolved into a insane stream of it. "I'm going to enjoy watching you slowly die, as I reap your soul from you."

 _Tenkai ~ Said His Prayers_

As Tenkai swung his scythes, purple streaks were left in the air, as they cut through whatever they touched, as Reimu carefully blocked against each strike, before using her gohei to slam one of the streaks, destroying it, as she followed up with a reverse kick on Tenkai's head, that knocked it back a little.

"My my, you have great strength in you, for a shrine maiden." Tenkai hissed. "You must be one of the people who believe that they would one day be able to slay the Demon King should he rise again."

"Pft, like I care for some small-fry with a big name! All I care is trying to find out who the hell messed with my home!" Reimu answered back, as she landed several more blows, knocking Tenkai even further back.

"Ah, how naive you are..." Tenkai chuckled, as he swung at Reimu, as his attacks were starting to get to Reimu, as she was actually being hit by them, as they left stinging and bleeding slash marks on her arms, however little they may be, due to her evading to avoid taking as much damage possible. "Do you really think things would be that simple?"

"Simple? Of course not, but laying you flat is!" Reimu cried, as she pulled out her Spell-Card. "DECLARE SPELL CARD! Spirit Sign 'Fantasy Seal'!"

She immediately punished Tenkai's arrogance with a series of powerful magic orbs at him, as he was left unable to guard, as he was too close to Reimu when she activated it, as he screamed, as the pure holy energy held within the orbs burned him with pain beyond imagination, before he fell to the ground defeated.

"Ha. Now that was a better fight than what that necromancer gave me." Reimu answered back, before examining her wounds. "Still, that's some damage he did to me. Guess I'll need to heal myself up when we finally end this trip, and head back to recover in the ship."

She then sat down, as she waited for the battle to end, and for Richard to pick her up. "Seriously, I'm surprised that there's no-one else who's going to fight me now. Because it's going to get boring soon enough." She muttered to herself, before shrugging. "Oh well, at least it's better than being stuck in that ship, with all those science stuff I have to try and get used to, instead of good old combat with my trusty limbs and gohei."

Meanwhile, Ieyasu and the others were trying to deal with the toxic incense that is spewing from the containers that were fired from a cannon in a camp not far from here, as they were visibly being affected, as they had pained expressions.

"Crap... It's getting hard to breathe in here..." Sanae choked. "This isn't good... Destroy those containers... Or we'll going to be asphyxiated!"

Richard immediately rushed forward, as he kept his mouth and nose shut, as he took out the container one by one, until the area was clean of any purple toxic gas.

"Whew... Thank god... It was getting hard to breathe here..." Gus thanked Richard.

"No need. We'll need to be careful if they have set these kinds of traps." Richard replied back, as he pointed at the massive cannon. "And I bet this is what is causing all this to rain down upon us."

"Got that. I'll deal with the camp. You guys move on, while I try to disable that thing before it sends more people to a early death." Sanae answered back.

As Sanae took the left path, Ieyasu, Richard and Gus took the right, as they found themselves in the last camp before Mitsunari's main camp, as they found a large horse with a horned helmet, and steel armour, pulling a large black carriage with spiked wheels.

"...That's it?" Gus asked, unimpressed by what he saw. "This thing is supposed to be a super-weapon against us?"

As the next batch of toxic incense rained down, the horse immediately neighed, sighting the enemy, as it charged forward, trying to ram the three of them, as they immediately dispersed, taking out the toxic incense containers while they waited for the horse's charge to end, stopping in the middle of the camp.

"Now, pour your might in destroying the carriage! Perhaps the real weapon is the carriage, not the horse!" Ieyasu ordered Richard and Gus.

The three of them charged forth, as they attacked the carriage, while it slowly opened itself like a box, as a large fire cannon tower was inside of it, wielded by a soldier inside of it, as he spun it around, as it fired rings of fireballs around the carriage, in different ranges, as the three male warriors dodged backwards and rushed forward to attack the carriage.

Suddenly, the bottom of the tower sparked with purple lightning, as it emitted a large purple pulse that knocked them back and flying into the air, as they recovered and landed on the ground, before they dodged the following lightning strikes.

After a while, they noticed that the toxic incense cannon stopped firing, meaning Sanae has achieved her objective, as Gus immediately jumped up, and stabbed his weapon through the carriage, as it hit the internal weapons of the carriage, causing it to self-destruct. Gus immediately took his blade out, and jumped off just in time, for the carriage to slam onto the gates barring the path to Mitsunari, exploding to take out the entirety of the structure.

"Well, damn... Now that's a noteworthy explosion there!" Richard complimented. "What are we waiting for? Now's the time to charge forth for Mitsunari!"

"Not so fast." Yoshitsugu spoke, as he landed in front of them. "You will not approach Mitsunari so long as I breathe."

"Musashi, let me deal with this." Gus spoke. "You two, get moving and take care of Mitsunari. We need to bring an end to this as fast as we can."

"Right, Munemori, don't fail us and die here. We both still need you." Richard answered back, with a grim nod, as they ascended the staircase to Mitsunari's camp.

"Look above.. and you may glimpse it approaching." Yoshitsugu pointed at the sky above Gus. "You feel it coming, don't you. I can feel it in my bones."

Yoshitsugu then lowered his hand. "Please, join me, as it rains down upon us. We shall see who is the first to be blessed." He spoke slowly. "...To suffer eternally..."

The orbs behind began to move, as he places his arms out in front, with his palms towards the skies.

 _Yoshitsugu Otani ~ Time To Suffer_

As Gus charges at Yoshitsugu, the mystical man uses his orbs to block Gus's strikes one by one, as he then moved back, to throw them at Gus one by one, moving backwards as he does so, increasing this distance Gus had to move, as he side-stepped often to avoid being hit by them.

"The presence of your lord amuses me. He, who is the blacksmith that forges this heavy chain of unity, link by unwitting link." Yoshitsugu mused, as he fought with Gus, who was forced in a cycle of dodging and attacking by Yoshitsugu's constant retreating and guarding. "He is a simple man, and yet you are more simpler. Surely, you're both aware of how troublesome your exploits have become."

"Much so. I mourn the lives that have been lost by this endless war. Which is why with Ieyasu's help, I will put a end to it for as long as possible." Gus solemly replied. "I am forced to take lives in the past, and it still pains me to this very day. That is why I have done my best to save more lives than I am forced to take, in order to atone for what I have done."

"Then how dare you face the world so carefree and ignorant then?" Yoshitsugu asked. "Look back at the hammer and anvil that had forged the chain. Are they not bloody with the blood of those who opposed you? Ieyasu is a slave to his ideals, and Mitsunari to his hatred. Truly, this is what is most common about them."

"No, Ieyasu is no slave of his ideals, because it is his ideals that will break the chain of sacrifice, and our hands that will bring this cycle of death to an end finally, if not forever!" Gus responded back, as he immediately knocked Yoshitsugu's orbs away, stunning the general, as he is left defenceless.

Gus immediately wasted no time on landing hit after hit on the dazed Yoshitsugu, before he then finished off with a eruption, that sent Yoshitsugu flying to the air, as the seated man was stuck onto his throne, and he fell to the ground, as he became weak after the constant attacks that Gus has dealt onto him, as his orbs fell to the ground, and Gus immediately sheathed his sword.

"It's over, you are defeated." Gus answered back, as he turned away to leave the area.

"No... It is not over..." Yoshitsugu wheezed, as he could feel that his life was slowly slipping away, as he was finally reaching the end of his life. "Is this the end? Am I to leave Mitsunari behind? Why won't you grant me a mercy of a quick death?"

Gus, hearing Yoshitsugu's last sentence, immediately turned around, as his expression was grim, and he stood before Yoshitsugu, whose voice has devolved into chokes and whimpers, as his throat was too broken to let out anything but those pitiful voices.

"Yes... A swift death would be mercy, even if it is a sin of its own." Gus muttered under his breath. "Very well, I shall grant your final request, Yoshitsugu. Remember that you desired this end, not I, for I am not so pacifistic that I would not give those who are in pure agony their release in death."

He immediately swung his blade over Yoshitsugu's neck, beheading the man with a single strike, although not a single drop of blood leaking from the openings, as Yoshitsugu's face was locked in a expression of suffering, from his last moments.

"Hm... No wonder you spoke about eternal suffering before..." Gus said to the dead body of Yoshitsugu. "It seems that you were cursed with it, being human, yet not so at the same time. It is far different to my friend's case... May your spirit find release from the pain you have accumulated."

Ieyasu and Richard immediately arrived Mitsunari's camp, which was surrounded by the banners of the Ishida clan, as Mitsunari Ishida remained standing, with his blade out, and a hateful glare at Ieyasu.

"Though you have assembled a mighty army." Mitsunari spoke quietly, yet with rage. "And though you have spoken your pretty speeches... Even now, I still see right through you. Ieyasu... Your sins have found you out!"

"Mitsunari..." Ieyasu replied back, unable to find anything to say to Mitsunari.

"Now... Bow down in reverence for Lord Hideyoshi!" Mitsunari demanded, as he pointed his blade at Ieyasu's feet. "Beg his forgiveness for your crimes! And then... offer up your life as penance..."

Ieyasu only shook his head sadly. "I cannot." Ieyasu denied. "My cause is righteous, and I cannot die until I see it achieved."

"It always have to be this way dealing with you, doesn't it..." Mitsunari growled, as he sheathed his blade. "You ignore your own ambitions, pretending to cling to your moral superiority, while challenging Lord Hideyoshi's dreams of unification!"

"You are deluded, Mitsunari!" Ieyasu cried back. "But know this, I will unite this country, with or without you!"

He then raised his fist, as the light bounced off the golden metal of his gauntlet.

"Deluded? I don't think so. It's quite just, if you think about it." A voice was heard.

Soon, the outsider posing as Nobutaka Oda appeared, as he walked slowly, with his sword in his sheath.

"Well, well... It seems we finally meet at last, 'Musashi Miyamoto'." 'Nobutaka' spoke with a wide grin. "It has been so long since I have last seen you."

Richard immediately readied his blade in instinct, as if he was threatened by the aura, or the meaning behind the words. "Who are you? Are you here specifically after me?" He asked the person.

"Quite so. And seriously..." 'Nobutaka' answered back, before he adapted a disappointed expression. "I'm quite hurt that you haven't recognised me at all. Do you really forget your friends that quickly?"

"You are most DEFINITELY not my friend!" Richard shouted back, as Mitsunari and Ieyasu remained silent, to allow them to speak, as if they were interested to see what is going between them right now. "I have left all of my friends back in the other reality. You cannot possibly hope to impersonate a single one of them!"

"Oh... But I'm not lying, dear Richard." 'Nobutaka' casually answered back, as he placed his arms out. "After all, you and I have come from the same world. The world which fiction is born in the minds!"

Richard was shocked beyond belief, as he gasped silently, before he then increased the anger within his glare. "You lie! There is no way that there would be anyone who knows of that world! If you're truly from there, who are you, what is your purpose? What is your goal?" Richard shouted back in anger. "How could you possibly learn my name, when I have not spoken it publicly, or to anyone who would be met by the common-folk of the worlds!?"

"That... Is. A. Secret." 'Nobutaka' answered back, accenting each word, with a tilt of his head. "As for my name, you may call me Mugen, since you are not worthy enough to learn my real name yet, dear friend. Because my purpose, is to see that the heroes fail in their goals. To see their ambitions and dreams crushed under the heels of the villainous and evil. To allow despair and death to spread across the lands, with their inevitable failure!"

Mugen then laughed evilly, before he then pulled out his sword.

"And to start with, I'll take Ieyasu's head, and then I will slay every single member of the Eastern Army, down to the last man." Mugen stated his objective. "But I don't think you're going to stand by and let me do that, will you? After all, you'll need him as an ally?"

Richard only remained silent, as he stepped forward.

"Oh, how predictable you are, Richard. It's so easy to tell, with that kind of noble allegiance and intention. But I prefer not to ruin someone's vengeance." Mugen answered back. "Mitsunari, you may continue to curse Ieyasu with your breath, and I will help you finally kill him, now that you have given what is promised."

"How much will it take to before you're satisifed? HOW MUCH!?" Mitsunari screamed. "Even the last of my allies, you woo to your side with your forked tongue. How am I supposed to live!? What am I supposed to do now!?"

Ieyasu immediately crouched down, as he raised his fists, as Richard raised his katana and shortsword, as Mitsunari reached for his sword slowly, as a dark purple aura emanated from his body.

"Mark well my words... I will never surrender, Ieyasu." Mitsunari darkly growled. "Even if I climb myself alone... Even when I lay gasping on my deathbed, I will never forgive you! IEYASUUUU!"

 **Cue OST ~ Naked Arms by T.M Revolution**

Mitsunari soon rushed forward, while he held out his blade, as Ieyasu charged to meet him in combat, as their weapons clashed together.

"Laugh, Ieyasu! Go right ahead!" Mitsunari bellowed, as he smashed his blade down repeatedly against Ieyasu's gauntlets. "Laugh at this forlorn wretch before you!"

"Your suffering does not delight me, nor does anyone's!" Ieyasu answered back, as he smashed Mitsunari back with a straight punch to the chest, as the dark warrior was knocked back, before he skidded on his feet across the ground, and charged right back at the golden pugilist.

Richard immediately moved forward, to try and help Ieyasu, only to be stopped by Mugen slashing at him from above, as Richard immediately dodged back to avoid the attack.

"My, my." Mugen clicked his tongue. "Surely you don't think it will be that easy, hm? Can't let you get in between Ieyasu and Mitsunari, can we? I'm afraid that if you insist, then it'll be when I finally land the killing blow on Ieyasu."

"Then I will slice through you to get to him!" Richard cried back. "It doesn't matter who I fight, for I have sworn to protect Ieyasu with all of my might!"

"Then come, and face me, Richard!" Mugen answered him, with the raise of his dao. "Come and face the one who will end you!"

Richard and Mugen immediately charged at each other, as they fought to a near-stalemate, as Mugen was rendering each attempt for Richard to land blows on him useless, despite only having one blade to Richard's two, as he tilted his blade in different angles to block the coming blades.

"Hmph, you're stronger than I thought you would be." Mugen commented, as Richard pushed his blades down, when they locked swords again. "I was kinda expecting you to a pushover, despite everything you have done."

"And what's that supposed to mean!?" Richard roared back, as he dashed back, and did a iai quickdraw, that forced Mugen's dao in a open position. "I'm not your typical hero, bastard! I didn't get to this level just by letting some plot or related crap make me stronger! I spent years training what I got to be this powerful."

"Powerful, yes... But are you powerful ENOUGH!?" Mugen exclaimed, as he immediately used a small kick to the handle of the blade, before Richard could attack him with it, as it left Richard unable to attack, as Mugen recovered. "You can't possibly hope to save everyone, no matter how powerful you are!"

"Maybe not... But I will save as many lives as I can! And by becoming stronger, more and more lives will be saved under my hands!" Richard retorted back, as he slashed his swords in a X, as Mugen used the edge of his dao to prevent the blade from going any further. "You may be strong, but we will see who will win at the end! If you're going to force me into a deadlock, we'll see who breaks out of it first!"

Mugen's response was a peal of laughter, as he lunged forward, pushing the dao towards Richard, as the latter followed suit, as their blades were locked against each other, with neither side budging for the other.

"You rob me of my allies, isolate me, and then reproach me for my want of brotherhood!" Mitsunari cursed Ieyasu, as he flung himself forward, slashing in a half-crescent that covered most of his front, as Ieyasu dodged back to avoid the long slash. "Make sense of this hypocrisy, if you dare even try! Your ideals are lies! Admit them as such! Then apologise to Lord Hideyoshi like the mongrel you are!"

"I will never apologise, and I will never renounce the bonds I have formed!" Ieyasu responded back, as he sent Mitsunari in the air with another dashing uppercut, before jumping, and slamming his fists into Mitsunari.

"Are you really so arrogant as to be unable to pretence grief!? Or mercy!?" Mitsunari venomously spat back, as he jumped back onto his feet, as he slashed at Ieyasu with his blade. "After you have deprived me of Lord Hideyoshi!? I shall be the one to banish you from this world, IEYASU!"

"Mitsunari Ishida... Behold your executioner!" Ieyasu answered back, as he returned the attack back with a punch to the abdomen, before he then immediately cocked his head back, and slammed it onto Mitsunari's own, before sending him back on the other end of the camp with a stronger head-butt.

As Richard slowly pushed onto Mugen, the ground beneath them began to splinter under their feet, as they increased their own might in their weapons. Richard then immediately slowly pushed his left foot back, as he lowered his body, allowing Mugen to take the advantage, as he had a easier time forcing Richard to bend.

"What's the matter, Richard? Getting weak and tired?" Mugen taunted, as he smiled evilly. "Don't worry, I promise that I will let you live, once I disable you, since you're my friend regardless."

"For the last fucking time! I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND!" Richard roared, as he immediately threw his left leg up, as he kicked the blade out of Mugen's hands, as his shin pushed against the edge, and his foot kicked the handle out of the hands gripping it. The weapon flew in the air, before landing far away, away from the retreating Mugen.

"What the, how did you-!?" Mugen shouted.

"IT'S OVER, YOU IMPOSTOR!" Richard roared, as he activated his ultimate attack, as he slammed Mugen with a barrage of elemental slashes, as each strike left its mark on him, breaking his armour, mostly on his chest, before he was sent back by the final cross-strike, that caused him to cough out blood, as the wounds on his body has appeared, as he slumped down onto his bottom, breathing heavily to try and ignore the pain coursing through him.

Richard then immediately walked over, as he picked up Mugen's dao, and pointed it at its owner's neck by the point.

"This ends here." Richard intoned, as he pushed the blade slowly onto the adam's-apple bulge in Mugen's neck. "I know that you definitely didn't come here as a coincidence. Tell me, who do you serve? And what is your true purpose?"

Mugen remained silent, as Richard seemed to be a little more angered. "I said, TELL ME!" Richard demanded, as he poked Mugen's neck with the point of the blade, deep enough to cause pain, but not so much that it drew blood.

Mugen merely laughed weakly in response. "Oh, my poor friend, you are still trying to uphold the image of a hero, are you?" Mugen asked back, his voice slightly hoarse and cracked from the damage to his body, as he looked up into Richard's eyes. "It is no coincidence. I have come here looking for heroes, and someone told me that you made a trip to this place. Everything else just happened as it is."

"And your reason you're so persistent in trying to go after me then? To kill me?" Richard scoffed.

"Hahaha... No..." Mugen chuckled back. "I'm here, because I'm a villain, nothing more, and nothing less."

"And you think of me a hero, and that is why you are trying to kill me now." Richard answered back, a little disgusted, as he threw the sword onto the ground. "You're not even worth taking the life of. When I'm finished here, I will ensure that we won't meet again."

"Heh... Heh... How wrong you are..." Mugen wheezed. "We will meet again... Because as long as there is the sun, there is the moon. As long as there is black, there will be white. And where there is good, there is always evil."

Richard paid no attention towards Mugen, as he rushed back to help Ieyasu. However, while his eyes were turned away, Mugen disappeared, as black fog crept all over his body, slowly covering it, before the fog dispersed to reveal that he was gone. Even his dao disappeared the same way, as if it never existed in the first place.

As Richard moved forward, he noticed that Ieyasu and Mitsunari were both on their last legs, as they were wounded and exhausted.

"Ieyasu!" Richard cried out. "Together!"

"Understood, Musashi!" Ieyasu replied back, as he engulfed himself in the golden aura, ready for another serving of his ultimate attack.

They immediately attacked at the same time, as their strikes were fairly synchronised to each other, as both of their attacks hit Mitsunari, and Richard jumped up to provide supporting attacks, when Ieyasu threw his aerial barrage, and when Mitsunari fell to the ground, dazed, they immediately cocked back their weapons, preparing for the final blow.

"Mitsunari, peace shall come at last!" Ieyasu shouted.

"Begone from this world, oh wrathful warlord of the darkness!" Richard chanted.

They soon unleashed their attack, as both the golden light and the slash meshed together into a massive golden crescent slash, that struck Mitsunari, causing him great pain, as he was pushed back, before he fell on a knee.

He then arched back, as he sheathed his sword slowly, before he fell down to the ground with a thud, as his life was slipping away.

"Lord Hideyoshi... I have yet.. to earn... my... death..." Mitsunari gurgled, before he passed on from the world.

Ieyasu remained silent, before he then turned to Richard, the only one who was standing beside him in this camp.

"Brave and loyal Musashi... Grant me one moment..." Ieyasu requested to him.

"...Are you sure that you'll be fine?" Richard asked, truly concerned about his ally.

"...I'm alright." Ieyasu replied, as he nodded gently.

"As you wish... And I have a request of my own. I want you to meet me in the valley outside of this battlefield of death. It is a matter that is most important to me in this world." Richard answered with a long bow, before leaving Ieyasu alone.

Ieyasu then looked at the still body of Mitsunari, as he sat down with his legs in front, as he reminisced about a conversation that he and Mitsunari had, when they were still under the Toyotomi banner.

 _I've devoted my life to his lordship, Hideyoshi... As a member of the Toyotomi... You should too._

 _How can you say such a thing? A man's life is his own. Why live it as his Lordship's pawn?_

 _I have thought that you would appreciate the virtue of loyalty. I was wrong. There's nothing left to say._

 _Mitsunari, you're making too much of this, my friend._

 _Then bow your head in apology, your pride is unseemly._

 _Mitsunari, me debasing myself does you no honour._

 _You prefer your holed up words and empty ideas? Is that all you're worth, Ieyasu?_

 _..._

 _Mitsunari, watch out! Why did you save me? Do you think I can't defend myself!?  
_

 _..._

 _Begone, may you die like a dog!_

 _Hateful words... How could you speak them so easily...?_

Ieyasu remained silent, before he then clenched his fists, as he bowed his head onto his knees, as for the first time, he finally wept. For he has slain one of the people that he wanted to save, even from himself, and a friend that he used to have in the past.

Richard could faintly hear the sobbing, as he too is touched by Mitsunari's death, as he remained silent, before he threw his hand out, as the sukimas collected his companions, that were spread across the battlefield.

* * *

 _In a small plain outside of Sekigahara..._

Richard was waiting in the middle of the flowing grass, as he looked to the skies, with a worried look on his face.

As he heard footsteps, he turned around to see Ieyasu, who was still recovering from the deeds he has done, proven by his eyes still wet from the tears he shed.

"So, you've come, Ieyasu Tokugawa." Richard spoke in a solemn tone. "I thought that you would have been back with your men, as you declare the unification of the land at last."

"...I have." Ieyasu replied back. "But I never noticed any of your companions, nor you there. Is that one of the reasons why you have been waiting to meet me here."

"Probably." Richard casually confirmed, before he walks to Ieyasu. "Before you hear what I have to say..."

He then placed a hand on Ieyasu's shoulder, as Richard's expression was one of sympathy and kindness, as well as sorrow.

"I wanted to say that you have suffered greatly, to put down Mitsunari by your blade." Richard spoke in a apologetic tone. "It takes a strong heart and devotion, for someone to slay their friend for a cause, even if their friend wishes death upon them. It is something that I cannot bring myself to do without much persuasion. So I wanted to tell you that, even though I am brave in battle, you are the true pinnacle of courage and devotion, for enduring something like this."

Ieyasu remained silent, as Richard moved back, with his hands crossed over each other.

"That is why I wanted to tell you something..." Richard sighed. "Tell me, did you not find it strange that Mitsunari's ally, Nobutaka Oda, or as he calls himself, 'Mugen', called me 'Richard', instead of 'Musashi'?"

"I have. And I care not whether you withheld your name, for there are many reasons, and none of them would warrant any hatred or suspicion, since you have devoted yourself to my cause so loyally, and stood by my side to the end of this bloody way." Ieyasu answered back.

"Yes, I did lie about my name." Richard admitted, with a lowered head. "My name is not Musashi Miyamoto, as I have told your entire army. It is Richard Liu, and I am not of this land, or this world."

"Then why have you taken the name of the greatest swordsman of the land as your own? It must be a reason much greater than the fame that comes with it." Ieyasu inquired.

"Because, Ieyasu, the real Musashi Miyamoto in these lands, is a savage with a unruly lust for battle and strength, and absolutely no morals. He is unfitting of his legend." Richard responded back. "And since I was a warrior of the twin swords, as Musashi Miyamoto would have been, I used the name as a means of hiding my true name and identity, and as a means to gain honour for the name, for I did not wish to see it sullied by a crazed brute. That is my honest reason."

"So I see." Ieyasu nodded. "Tell me, Musashi- No, Richard. Who exactly are you? And are Munemori, Akashi and Rikiya also people who come from the same origins as you?"

"I will answer both of your questions with all I know." Richard assured Ieyasu. "First, much like you, I am a person who fights to save the commonfolk and as many people, in the identity of a saviour. Anything more would confuse you, so that's all I can say about my identity, other than my proficiency with elemental magic and swordsmanship, as you saw in the battles we fought together. Second, yes, Munemori, Akashi and Rikiya are my companions who provided the same deceit I have done. You will learn their true names in time."

"Then why have you come to this world?" Ieyasu asked.

"Because it is a matter of saving lives, as you done with ending the war in unification." Richard spoke back in a serious tone. "Our realm, or reality, is being consumed piece by piece, by the void of time and space itself, for reasons that we could never know. We went around to this world, because it is within this reality, that the source of the chaos remained active, and so we travelled, with no other traces as to where we could go. We have landed here, in order to find any clues that could lead us on. And that's when we found you, Ieyasu. When we knew of your goal, we came to support you, as you would be a worthy ally to assist us in our cause, when we help you tie up matters on this world."

"So... You are offering me the choice to join your group then?' Ieyasu asked, placing a hand on his chin. "I am still a little sceptical about choosing, but considering your actions and your words, you have proven that you desperately need help, which I can lend on my own choice."

"That's right. We are in desperate need of allies in this vast realm, and we have only made few so far." Richard answered back, before he adopted a worried tone. "Before you make your choice, I ask that you hear me out on this. I have done all of this with the others, not mainly for the opportunity of finding a clue, and making allies, but for our ideals, which is to save people. Although this may be mostly what we will do in the other worlds, I wanted to tell you truthfully, anything could go wrong. At times, I, as leader of the group, may do things that might turn against the oath of protecting and saving all life, by taking lives through direct or indirect means. There will be times where I will not be so benevolent and merciful to my enemies and those who are against us. However, understand that there are times where lives must be taken to save more, even though we wish to neglect the former condition. If I must kill to save, I will only do so, when the moral and beneficial values of the killed are outweighed by those who would be saved, in the proportion that a rock would be to a entire mountain. So please, if you still consider me as someone who is worth your attention, consider what I have to say."

Ieyasu remained silent, as he pondered the opportunities in his mind, as Richard let him do so without any disturbance.

"Very well." Ieyasu voiced his decision, after thinking it through. "If what you have to say is true, then I will accept an alliance with you, and join your group in good-will. I will do all I can to assist your future endeavours in serving the people of the other worlds."

"Ieyasu... Thank you." Richard expressed his gratitude, as he reached a hand out. "Then on behalf of the entire Unmei Force, I welcome you into our ranks. May this bond that is forged between us last long and well."

Ieyasu took the hand, as he shook it gently, sealing the alliance between both leader of the travelling organisation, and the new shogun of Japan.

"Before we go to meet your comrades, I have something that I have kept with me all of this time. It is a treasure of some sorts." Ieyasu added, as he let go of Richard's hand, after their handshake. "I have found it in the plains where Hideyoshi was defeated. It emitted a mysterious power that I could have never tapped into, but I believe that it will do some good in your hands."

Ieyasu immediately handed over a stone, much like the stone that Richard and company has collected back at the Underworld, except the crystal was golden, and there was a white symbol of a lightning bolt carved onto it.

As soon as Richard saw the stone, his mouth gaped, as he slowly took it. "This... This...!" He stuttered, as he took a closer look at the stone.

"What is it, Richard? Has something about it offended or remind you of something."

"No..." Richard spoke back, very moved, as he smiled, looking at the second stone of the set in his hand. "It's just what we were after."

* * *

 _In an unknown place..._

In a dark enclosed dimension, that was out to reach of most of the reality itself, the figure of Mugen landed on the ground, as he landed on his stomach, as his wounds are still recovered, as the darkness enshrouding him was slowly but surely sealing the wound shut.

"Heh... I guess I have lost this round, Richard." Mugen spoke, as he got up slowly. "It seems that fighting alone isn't a solution. I'm going to need to get some more people under my cause, if I ever going to hope to ever bring him and his little posse of heroes."

He then let the darkness form over his right arm, before the misty form coalesced into a black metallic gauntlet, where the fingers had claws at the end, and various mystic carvings ran along the length of it in red, and it emitted a corrupted aura.

"I know, how about I revive a little grudge, hm?" Mugen chuckled, before he then raised his right hand, and spread the fingers out, as he focused energy into the dark gauntlet.

As he let the energy flow, he could feel something come within his grasp, as his right arm shook. The closer the 'object' came, the more his gauntlet shook, and the more energy he had to pour to draw the object into his palm.

When the feeling of something reaching his gauntlet reached Mugen, he immediately clenched his right hand, as if crushing something, as there were a sharp whooshing sound, as white and blue wisps emitted from the palm of the gauntlet, as the faint silvers of conscious immediately flew up and faded away.

On the ground in front of Mugen, the ground splintered, as a dark magic circle appeared on the ground, as it slowly spewed forth tentacles of black energy, which meshed together, and formed a shadow of a familiar shape.

When the figure was complete, the figure turned into Mitsunari Ishida, revived once more, without any of his mortal wounds on his body, as the silver-haired avenger was left looking around.

"What the!? Where am I!?" Mitsunari shouted.

Mugen then cleared his throat, as he approached Mitsunari, who turned to him. "And who are you?" Mitsunari asked, seeming to have forgotten about Mugen.

"Hello, Mitsunari Ishida. My name is Mugen." Mugen introduced himself, as he smiled like the Cheshire Cat. "How would you like a second chance to sate your revenge against Ieyasu?"

* * *

 ** _Unmei Force: Conflicts_**

 ** _E N D_**

* * *

A/N: Well, that's the first Unmei Force arc to be completed, since Roots is in hiatus. Do not fret, for I will now begin finishing it off, as soon as I have the time and the ideas for it! Until then, don't forget to criticise about the Unmei Force stories in general, or this particular arc, if you like.

Disclaimer: This is based off and set within the universe of Dimensional Heroes, a fandom which is created and maintained by jexithehunter, David Ishihara, Hope the Victor, and Ace Neptune. Unmei Force will not intersect with the stories of the heroes made by the authors listed, except in possible crossover arcs.


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